ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the material basis of conduction along meridian.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty SD rats(30 males,30 females) were randomly assigned into a normal group,an acupuncture group,a verapamil blocking group and a 0.9%NaCl blocking group(control group),15 rats in each one. Fluo 3-AM(calcium fluorescence probe) was injected at the observation part in femoral stomach meridian of foot-(meridian part) and the approaching femoral meridian part(non-meridian part) in the normal group and the acupuncture group,and then incubation was applied. In the verapamil blocking group,verapamil was injected at local meridian part and non-meridian part,and in the control group 0.9%NaCl was injected. Then Fluo 3-AM was injected at the meridian part and non-meridian part in the two groups,and incubation was implemented. Caimaging changes in cells were recorded for more than 20 min after injection of every part in each group respectively. After the above operations in the last three groups,acupuncture was used at "Zusanli"(ST 36) immediately,with electroacupuncture for one min,then Caimaging changes in cells at the meridian and non-meridian parts were recorded for more than 20 min.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the normal group, Cafluorescence intensity at the meridian part was higher than that at the non-meridian part. In the acupuncture group,after acupuncture Cafluorescence intensity at the meridian part was obviously higher than before,but the change before and after acupuncture was not apparent at the non-meridian part. After verapamil blocking local calcium channel and acupuncture,the Cafluorescence of the meridian part did not strengthen,and the change of that before and after acupuncture at the non-meridian part was not obvious. In the control group,after injecting 0.9%NaCl at local part,Cafluorescence intensities of the meridian and non-meridian parts showed no obvious change,so was that before and after acupuncture.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The voltage-gated calcium channel at the meridian part is highly correlated with its tissue cells exciting conduction.</p>
ABSTRACT
There is growing evidence that alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis may play a role in processes of brain aging and neurodegeneration. However, few have focused on voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (VGCC) subunits, much less on expression of other voltage-gated ion channels, i.e. voltage-gated K+ (Kv) and Na+ (Nav) channels. In the present study, we have investigated the spatial patterning of VGCCs, Kv1 and Nav channels by immunohistochemistry. This study have shown clearly that the VGCCs, Kv1 and Nav channels have differential distribution in the cerebellum of gerbil, which is used as an ischemia and epilepsy animal model. Immunoreactivities for Cav2.1, Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 were observed in the cell bodies and dendritic branches of Purkinje cells. In particular, Cav1.3 immunoreactivity was most prominent in the cell bodies and dendritic arborizations. A distinct band of punctate immunoreactivity for the Cav2.1, Cav2.2, Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 were observed in cerebellar nuclei. Strong immunoreactivities for Kv1.3, Kv1.4, Kv1.5 and Kv1.6 were observed in the Purkinje cell bodies, whereas Kv1.2 immunoreactivity was found in the basket cell axon plexus and terminal regions around the Purkinje cells. In the cerebellar nuclei, Kv1.2, Kv1.4 and Kv1.6 proteins were clearly detected in the soma of cerebellar output neurons. The most intense staining for Nav1.1 was observed in the granular layer, whereas strong immunoreactivity for Nav1.2 were seen in the Purkinje cell bodies, and extended into their dendrites. The overall results have demonstrated the expression patterns of VGCCs, Kv1 and Nav channels in gerbil cerebellum. Further studies are needed to define changes in other Ca2+ channel types to determine whether any channel changes represent selective loss of specific receptors or of cell loss, and to determine whether changes in Kv and Nav channels are linked to Ca2+ channel changes.