Biomaterial Database

Preterminal and terminal axon arborizations in the substantia gelatinosa of cat's spinal cord. 1977

M Réthelyi

Extensive terminal branchings of fine fibers in the substantia gelatinosa of Golgi-Kopsch preparations of the adult cat spinal cord were subjected to a semi-quantitative analysis. transverse sections suggest that these fibers are probably unmyelinated primary afferent elements of dorsal root origin. In transverse sections these elements pass medially and ventrally and shortly disappear due to a change in orientation. Similar thin fibers in sagittal sections can be followed for several hundred microns as they give rise to side branches that also run mainly in a longitudinal direction. The side branches divide in turn to produce preterminal axon arborizations. The arborizations were distributed in 150 mum wide zones in the dorsal horn region corresponding to Rexed's lamina II. The end terminals are large bulbs, usually preceded by two to three equally large en passant enlargements. Seven to eight terminals stem from each side branch. The terminals and enlargements are arranged in narrow (16-26 mum thick) sagittal sheets. The terminals of several side branches often converge upon a common region so that clusters of terminals occur within the sagittal sheet. It is proposed that these observations are consistent with the substantia gelatinosa (lamina II) as the termination of unmyelinated (C) primary afferent fibers and that the latter are the only type of primary fibers ending in this portion of the spinal cord.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
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
D009475	Neurons, Afferent	Neurons which conduct NERVE IMPULSES to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Afferent Neurons,Afferent Neuron,Neuron, Afferent
D002415	Cats	The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801)	Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
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
D001369	Axons	Nerve fibers that are capable of rapidly conducting impulses away from the neuron cell body.	Axon
D013116	Spinal Cord	A cylindrical column of tissue that lies within the vertebral canal. It is composed of WHITE MATTER and GRAY MATTER.	Coccygeal Cord,Conus Medullaris,Conus Terminalis,Lumbar Cord,Medulla Spinalis,Myelon,Sacral Cord,Thoracic Cord,Coccygeal Cords,Conus Medullari,Conus Terminali,Cord, Coccygeal,Cord, Lumbar,Cord, Sacral,Cord, Spinal,Cord, Thoracic,Cords, Coccygeal,Cords, Lumbar,Cords, Sacral,Cords, Spinal,Cords, Thoracic,Lumbar Cords,Medulla Spinali,Medullari, Conus,Medullaris, Conus,Myelons,Sacral Cords,Spinal Cords,Spinali, Medulla,Spinalis, Medulla,Terminali, Conus,Terminalis, Conus,Thoracic Cords
D013376	Substantia Gelatinosa	Gelatinous-appearing material in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, consisting chiefly of Golgi type II neurons and some larger nerve cells.	Lamina 2,Lamina II,Substantia Gelatinosa of Rolando,Gelatinosa, Substantia,Gelatinosas, Substantia,Rolando Substantia Gelatinosa,Substantia Gelatinosas