Neuroanatomical Comparative Studies on the Motor and Sensory Neurons Associated with Cheonji(PC1) in the Rats

Abstract

This study was performed to comparative investigate the distribution of primary sensory and motor neurons associated with Daereung(PC7) acupoints by using neural tracing technique. A total 16 SD rats were used in the present study. After anesthesia, the rats received microinjection of 6 ㎕ of cholera toxin B subunit(CTB) into the corresponding sites of the acupoints Daereung(PC7), in the human body for observing the distribution of the related primary sensory neurons in dorsal root ganglia(DRGs) and motor neurons in the spinal cord(C3∼T4) and sympathetic ganglia. Three days after the microinjection, the rats were anesthetized and transcardially perfused saline and 4% paraformaldehyde, followed by routine section of the DRGs, sympathetic chain ganglia(SCGs) and spinal cord. Labeled neurons and nerve fibers were detected by immunohistochemical method and observed by light microscope equipped with a digital camera. The labeled neurons were recorded and counted. From this research, the distribution of primary sensory and motor neurons associated with Daereung(PC7) acupoints were concluded as follows. Muscle meridian related Daereung(PC7) controlled by spinal segments of C5∼T1, C6∼T4, respectively.