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Autoradiographic localization of substance P receptors in rat spinal cord: effects of experimental spinal transection
G Vita1, C K Haun, E F Hawkins
1Institute of Neurological and Neurosurgical Sciences, University of Messina, Italy.
Abstract:
The autoradiographic localization of Substance P (SP) receptors was studied in the rat spinal cord following thoracic cordotomy. The binding of [125I]-BH-SP was measured in discrete gray matter structures above and below the injury site. There was a significant increase in SP receptor density 1 week after cordotomy in the dorsal horn and in the central canal of lumbar region, and in laminae 3-4-5 and also in the ventral horn of cervical spinal cord. Elevated SP receptor density was noted only in cervical ventral horn at 3 weeks after cordotomy. Since SP concentration has been reported to show similar localized increases, the present results are consistent with an up-regulation of SP receptors.