Spinal afferent nerve endings in visceral organs: recent advances. 2016

Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
Discipline of Human Physiology and Centre for Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia nicholas.spencer@flinders.edu.au.

Spinal afferent neurons play a major role in detection and transduction of painful stimuli from internal (visceral) organs. Recent technical advances have made it possible to visualize the endings of spinal afferent axons in visceral organs. Although it is well known that the sensory nerve cell bodies of spinal afferents reside within dorsal root ganglia (DRG), identifying their endings in internal organs has been especially challenging because of a lack of techniques to distinguish them from endings of other extrinsic and intrinsic neurons (sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric). We recently developed a surgical approach in live mice that allows selective labeling of spinal afferent axons and their endings, revealing a diverse array of different types of varicose and nonvaricose terminals in visceral organs, particularly the large intestine. In total, 13 different morphological types of endings were distinguished in the mouse distal large intestine, originating from lumbosacral DRG. Interestingly, the stomach, esophagus, bladder, and uterus had less diversity in their types of spinal afferent endings. Taken together, spinal afferent endings (at least in the large intestine) appear to display greater morphological diversity than vagal afferent endings that have previously been extensively studied. We discuss some of the new insights that these findings provide.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007422 Intestines The section of the alimentary canal from the STOMACH to the ANAL CANAL. It includes the LARGE INTESTINE and SMALL INTESTINE. Intestine
D009411 Nerve Endings Branch-like terminations of NERVE FIBERS, sensory or motor NEURONS. Endings of sensory neurons are the beginnings of afferent pathway to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Endings of motor neurons are the terminals of axons at the muscle cells. Nerve endings which release neurotransmitters are called PRESYNAPTIC TERMINALS. Ending, Nerve,Endings, Nerve,Nerve Ending
D005727 Ganglia, Spinal Sensory ganglia located on the dorsal spinal roots within the vertebral column. The spinal ganglion cells are pseudounipolar. The single primary branch bifurcates sending a peripheral process to carry sensory information from the periphery and a central branch which relays that information to the spinal cord or brain. Dorsal Root Ganglia,Spinal Ganglia,Dorsal Root Ganglion,Ganglion, Spinal,Ganglia, Dorsal Root,Ganglion, Dorsal Root,Spinal Ganglion
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D051379 Mice The common name for the genus Mus. Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus
D017833 Visceral Afferents The sensory fibers innervating the viscera. Afferent, Visceral,Afferents, Visceral,Visceral Afferent

Related Publications

Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
March 2014, Neurogastroenterology and motility,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
June 2021, The Journal of comparative neurology,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
January 1966, Federation proceedings. Translation supplement; selected translations from medical-related science,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
September 1984, The American journal of physiology,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
January 2013, Frontiers in neuroscience,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
December 1976, The Journal of physiology,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
November 1975, The Journal of physiology,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
January 1966, The American journal of anatomy,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
October 1974, Respiration physiology,
Nick J Spencer, and Vladimir Zagorodnyuk, and Simon J Brookes, and Tim Hibberd
July 2000, The Anatomical record,
Copied contents to your clipboard!