Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) exerts its functions through NP receptors. Recently, BNP has been shown to be involved in a wide range of functions. Previous studies reported BNP expression in the sensory afferent fibers in the dorsal horn (DH) of the spinal cord. However, BNP expression and function in the neurons of the central nervous system are still controversial. Therefore, in this study,...

In patients with irritable bowel syndrome, visceral pain is evoked more readily following distension of the colorectum. However, the identity of extrinsic afferent nerve pathway that detects and transmits visceral pain from the colorectum to the spinal cord is unclear. In this study, we identified which extrinsic nerve pathway(s) underlies nociception from the colorectum to the spinal cord of r...

Motor neurons in the vertebrate spinal cord are stereotypically organized along the rostro-caudal axis in discrete columns that specifically innervate peripheral muscle domains. Originating from the same progenitor domain, the generation of spinal motor neurons is orchestrated by a spatially and temporally tightly regulated set of secreted molecules and transcription factors such as retinoic ac...

Motor neuron disease causes widespread degeneration of motor neurons within both the brain and spinal cord. Brain and spinal cord MRI were performed in 11 patients with motor neuron disease, and in 17 controls. Symmetric areas of high signal within the corticospinal tracts were found in nine patients on T2 weighted spin echo (SE) or fast spin echo (FSE) images of the brain and in eight on T2 or...

We have examined the distribution of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) in the lumbar segment of spinal cord, ventral and dorsal roots, and dorsal root ganglia of control and beta,beta'-iminodipropionitrile-treated rats. The peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique was used for light and electron microscopic immunohistochemical studies with two monoclonal antibodies directed against different e...

The connections formed between sensory and motor neurons (MNs) play a critical role in the control of motor behavior. During development, the axons of proprioceptive sensory neurons project into the spinal cord and form both direct and indirect connections with MNs. Two ETS transcription factors, ER81 and PEA3, are expressed by developing proprioceptive neurons and MNs, raising the possibility ...

We used anatomical and physiological approaches to characterize nicotinic receptors (AChRs) on Renshaw cells of the neonatal rat spinal cord. Confocal imaging of Renshaw cells, identified by their characteristic pattern of gephyrin immunoreactivity, revealed that these neurons are immuno-positive for the alpha4 and beta2 AChR subunits but not for the alpha7 subunit. We used whole cell recording...

Previous studies have shown that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) of upper lumbar segments decreases visceromotor responses to mechanical stimuli in a sensitized rat colon and reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in patients. SCS applied to the upper cervical spinal dorsal column reduces pain of chronic refractory angina. Further, chemical stimulation of C1-C2 propriospinal neurons in rats...

Introduction Cholinergic system is one of the important systems of mammalian CNS. Cholinergic neurons distributed in brain and spinal cord and contributed to principal functions like: consciousness, learning and memory, and motor control. In this study we investigated the differentiation potentiality of mouse embryonic stem cells toward cholinergic neurons. The aim of this study was to evaluate...

Elaborate courtship displays are relatively common features of the masculine reproductive behavior in birds. However, little is known about their neural and hormonal control. One bird that performs such a display is the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus) of Panamanian forests. Adult males, but not females, perform a physically intense display requiring substantial neuromuscular contro...