Vestibular-afferent neurons innervate hair cells from the sensory epithelia of vestibular end-organs and their action-potential discharge dynamics are driven by linear and angular accelerations of the head. The electrical activity of the vestibular-afferent neurons depends on their intrinsic properties and on the synaptic input from hair cells and from the terminals of the efferent system. Here...

Afferent lymphatic vessels bring antigens and diverse populations of leukocytes to draining lymph nodes, whereas efferent lymphatics allow only lymphocytes and antigens to leave the nodes. Despite the fundamental importance of afferent vs. efferent lymphatics in immune response and cancer spread, the molecular characteristics of these different arms of the lymphatic vasculature are largely unkn...

Background Gastrointestinal disorders are very common in diabetic patients, but the pathogenesis is still not well understood. Peripheral afferent nerves may be involved due to the complex regulation of gastrointestinal function by the enteric nervous system. Objective We aimed to characterize the stimulus-response function of afferent fibers innervating the jejunum in the Goto-Kakizaki (GK) ...

Afferent dysgraphia is an acquired writing deficit characterized by deletions and duplications of letters and strokes. The commonly accepted interpretation states that afferent dysgraphia is associated with three main clinical features: production of spatial writing errors; the presence of left unilateral neglect; and no deterioration in performance when writing blindfolded. In order to test wh...

As the literature on afferent loop obstruction (ALO) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is very limited, standardized rules for its management do not exist. Herein, we report the case of a 65-year-old male patient with chronic ALO who had undergone PD with single Roux-en-Y limb reconstruction and adjuvant chemoradiation therapy for pancreatic head adenocarcinoma 2 years earlier. The patient was...

In the present study, we assessed the role of tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme as a determinant of intrarenal hemodynamics by using the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor trandolaprilat and the angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan. Afferent and efferent arteriolar diameters were measured with computer-assisted vessel imaging in isolated perfused hydronephrotic rat kidneys. In re...

High impulse rate in afferent nerves is a common feature in many sensory systems that serve to accommodate a wide dynamic range. However, the first stage of integration should be endowed with specific properties that enable efficient handling of the incoming information. In elasmobranches, the afferent nerve originating from the ampullae of Lorenzini targets specific neurons located at the Dors...

The superficial laminae (I and II) of the spinal dorsal horn receive small caliber primary afferent fibers responsive to noxious stimulation, and contain local circuit neurons that modulate afferent input. Many of these neurons are GABAergic; about a third of these also synthesize nitric oxide. We identified three main morphological types of primary afferent terminals in superficial laminae aft...

A substantial portion of the current research on lower urinary tract dysfunction is focused on afferent mechanisms. The main goals are to define and modulate the signaling pathways by which afferent information is generated, enhanced and conveyed to the central nervous system. Alterations in bladder afferent mechanisms are a potential source of voiding dysfunction and an emerging source for dru...

Thromboxane A(2) (TxA(2)) preferentially constricts the renal afferent arteriole. Nitric oxide (NO) modulates vasoconstriction and is rapidly degraded by superoxide radical (O(2)(-)). We investigated the roles of NO and O(2)(-) in rabbit isolated, perfused renal afferent arteriole responses to the TxA(2)/prostaglandin H(2) (TP) receptor agonist U-46,619. U-46,619 (10(-10)-10(-6) M) dose-depende...