CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE PREPRODYNORPHIN-,PREPROEN- KEPHALIN-LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVE TERMINALS AND COEXISTENT NEURONS OF THE PHOSPHATE ACTIVATED GLUTAMINASE AND PARVALBUMIN IN THE MESENCEPHALIC TRIGEMINAL NUCLEUS OF THE RAT / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the co-localization of phosphate activated glutaminase(PAG) and parvalbumin(PV) in neurons,and the connections between preprodynorphin-like immunoreactive(PPD-LI) or preproenkephalin(PPE)-LI terminals and coexistent neurons of PAG-LI and PV-LI in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus(Vme) of the rat. Methods In the present study,the immunofluorescence histochemical double-staining and triple-staining technique were used.The staining results were observed under a confocal laser scanning microscope. Results Many neuronal cell bodies through the whole rostrocaudal extent of Vme showed PAG-LI and PV-LI.The majority of them were large pseudounipolar neurons.A considerable number of PV-LI neurons expressed PAG-LI,cell counts showed that more than 95% of PV-I neurons were immunostained with PAG-LI.Confocal laser scanning microscope further revealed that axonal varicosities with PPD-LI or PPE-LI were found to make close contact with neuronal cell bodies of Vme showed both PAG-LI and PV-LI. Conclusion The present results indicated that the glutamate and PV are involved in the transmission of the trigeminal proprioceptive sensory singals from the Vme to the higher centers,simultaneously,dynorphin-and enkephalin-immuoreactive terminals may also exert modulatory influence on the primary afferent cell bodies of the Vme.;