Abstract
Neurons surrounding the central canal in sacral spinal segments were functionally characterized on the basis of somatic and/or visceral afferent input, the intracellularly marked with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Tissue sections containing portions of HRP-stained neurons were subsequently immunohistochemically examined for the presence of contacts made by axonal enlargements containing vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (SP), somatostatin (SS), Leu-enkephalin (ENK), or serotonin (5-HT). ENK- and 5-HT-containing enlargements were found to contact all neurons examined. SP and SS terminals contacted fewer neurons, and were not associated with specific functional classes. On the other hand, VIP-containing fibers contacted only those neurons receiving visceral afferent input, thus supporting the contention that VIP is contained in a population of visceral afferent fibers projecting to the gray matter surrounding the central canal at sacral levels.
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