$9

COMPARISON OF NOCICEPTORS AND PROPRIOCEPTORS IN PULP AND 10 Slide

PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT OF RAT INCISORS USING AUTORADIOGRAPHY Sat 3:00
HRP-CYTOCHEMISTRY AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. M.R.Byers and G. B. I
K.Y.Chan*, Depts. of Anesthesiology, Biol. Structure, OphthaI,y
mo ogy, an
Ctr. Res. Oral Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Aim: In order to learn more about the structure of nociceptors, we cm-
pared &al receptors of rat incisors with specialized proprioceptors in
adjacent ligament. Rat incisors are advantageous because they lackdentinal
innervation and only contain slow conducting nociceptive axons; also their
ligament has numerous proprioceptors.
Methods: We injected 3H-amino acids or horseradish peroxidase (HRP or
WGA-HRP) into the R. trigeminal ganglion of adult rats and allowed 20-24h
axonal transport to the receptors. After aldehyde fixation, incisors plus
adjacent ligament and bone were decalcified and prepared forautoradiography
(AR), HRP-cytochemistry or electron microscopy (EN).
Results: Light microscopic AR and HRP studies showed sensory neurite
distribution: pulpal axons ended among blood vessels or near (but usually
not in) the odontoblast layer in the incisal third of pulp; ligament axons
formed large and small branched endings with distinctive patterns in
avascular ligament regions. EM studies found bundles of small axons or
single axons in pulpal receptor zones, but no specialized structures; in
ligament we found large and small Ruffini-like receptors, bundles of small
axons, but no encapsulated receptors. The large Ruffini endings had neural
fingers that contacted ligament collagen.
Conclusions: Nociceptors in rat incisor pulp branch from small axonsand
form unmyelinated bundles or individual neurites that are enclosed by a
Schwann cell. They differ from ligament proprioceptors by their simplicity,
their unspecialized Schwann cells and their lack of neural fingers contact-
ing connective tissue. (Supported by Grants DE05159, DE02600, DE00099).

SYMPATHETICEFFECTSONC-FIBRERESPONSES
B.C. Shyulyx, K.H. Huang2Tx, B. Rydenhagl, S. Anderssonl, 1 g?f;i /
1. Department of Physiology,Universityof Giiteborg,Hex 33031, . .
S-40033 Gijteborg, Sweden. 2. Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Peking,
China.
Aim of investigation: The aim of this study was to examine the possibilitythat in
normal conditions the sympatheticactivity influences peripheralnerve fibres.
Methods: Rabbitswere anaesthetized by chloralose-urethanand paralyzed.The
peronealand sciaticnerves were placedon pairs of electrodesfor stimulation and
recording of the compound action potentials by electrical stimuli of a strength exci-
ting all C-fibres. The sympathetic chains were stimulated electrically via implan-
ted electrodes.
Results: Sympathetic stimulation did not significantly change the A-fibre response
but gave a prolonged depression of components in the C-fibre response which was
related to activity induced by pinching, stroking and heating appropriate skin areas.
This effect remained unchanged after section of the peroneal nerve peripheral to the
distal electrodes, but disappeared after a central lesion of the sciatic nerve. The
depression was partly due to collision between nerve impulses in sympathetic fibres.
A train of sympathetic stimuli induced a prolonged depression of the C-fibre res-
ponse. The long-lasting depression, but not that due to collision, was abolished by
phentolamine.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the membrane potential of C-fibres is in-
fluenced by substances released from sympathetic fibres. Hypothetically, the effects
may be similar to presynaptic inhibition. If so, this mechanism may produce hyp-
algesia during strongly increased sympathetic activity such as in a defence-alarm
situation.