Neuroimmunohistochemical analysis of peridiscal nociceptive neural elements

Y. T. Konttinen, M. Gronblad, I. Antti-Poika, S. Seitsalo, S. Santavirta, M. Hukkanen, J. M. Polak

Forskningsoutput: TidskriftsbidragArtikelVetenskapligPeer review

Sammanfattning

Twenty-three perioperative tissue samples from lumbar disc operations on 11 patients were studied immunohistochemically using the sensitive avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) method and specific heterologous antisera for the presence of neurofilament-positive neural elements containing nociceptive neuropeptides substance P (SP) and/or calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Histologically, neural elements were especially abundant in the posterior longitudinal ligament, there being also a few demonstrable nerves in the peripheral anulus fibrosus. These nerves often showed a co-localization of cytoskeletal neurofilaments together with SP and/or CGRP immunoreactivity. It is suggested that pressure and chemical irritation of nociceptive nerves dependent on degenerated discs excite sensory neural elements, especially in the posterior longitudinal ligament and possibly also in the peripheral parts of the anulus fibrosus, while the disc itself, at least if not penetrated by vascular granular tissue, is painless and neuroanatomically lacks a structural basis for pain perception.
Bidragets översatta titelNeuroimmunohistochemical analysis of peridiscal nociceptive neural elements
Originalspråkengelska
TidskriftSpine
Volym15
Nummer5
Sidor (från-till)383-386
Antal sidor4
ISSN0362-2436
StatusPublicerad - 1990
MoE-publikationstypA1 Tidskriftsartikel-refererad

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