Biomedical subjects

H Aldskogius

Publications and source records attributed to H Aldskogius.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

Anterograde transsynaptic transport of WGA-HRP from spinal afferents to postganglionic sympathetic cells of the stellate ganglion of the guinea pig.

After injection of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) or choleragenoid conjugated HRP (B-HRP) into lower cervical and upper thoracic dorsal root ganglia (DRG), HRP reaction product was observed in peripheral fibers of spinal afferents and in postganglionic cell bodies of the stellate ganglion (SG) in the guinea pig. After WGA-HRP injection into C8-T3 or T5 DRG, HRP-labelled cells were observed to cluster at the rami within the SG, with peak labelling observed 36 h after injection. SG cell labelling occurred with B-HRP as well, but not with native HRP after injection into thoracic DRG. Injection of this tracer in C8 DRG gave rise to a small number of labelled cells. In contrast to the labelling pattern following thoracic or C8 DRG injections, injection of WGA-HRP or native HRP into C6 DRG, led to random SG cell labelling. We conclude that the anterograde transsynaptic transport, following injection of WGA-HRP into thoracic DRG, provides a method to selectively label a population of postganglionic sympathetic neurons within the SG. A combination of transsynaptic and retrograde transport appears to be responsible for labelling after injection into C8 DRG, whereas labelling after C6 DRG injections seems to be due primarily to retrograde transport.

Afferent Pathways↗

PubMed1989

Expansion of innervation territory by afferents involved in plasma extravasation after nerve regeneration in adult and neonatal rats.

The capacity of the saphenous nerve for collateral sprouting was examined by electrophysiological recordings of the activity of low threshold mechanoreceptors and plasma extravasation after C-fiber stimulation in rats. When the sciatic nerve was sectioned neonatally or in adults little evidence was obtained for collateral sprouting of either mechanoreceptors or fibers involved in plasma extravasation in the intact saphenous nerve. In rats where the sciatic nerve was sectioned and the saphenous nerve was crushed either neonatally or in adults, expansive regenerative reinnervation by thin fibers, but not mechanoreceptors, was observed particularly in glabrous skin. Saphenous crush alone did not cause expansive regenerative reinnervation. The results indicate that much of the collateral sprouting or regenerative reinnervation of the skin observed in morphological studies may represent the presence of fibers not responding to the stimuli used in the present study. It is also suggested that some observations of collateral sprouting may represent changes in responsiveness to stimulation of skin areas with overlapping innervation territories.

Aging↗

PubMed1989

Simultaneous immunohistochemical demonstration of intra-axonally transported markers and neuropeptides in the peripheral nervous system of the guinea pig.

Projections and peptide neurotransmitter/neuromodulator content of autonomic and visceral afferent neurons of the guinea pig were studied after application of the subunit B of cholera toxin (CTB) with or without horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as retrograde and anterograde tracers and subsequent immunohistochemical processing for double staining using antibodies raised to CTB, HRP and various neuropeptides. The results demonstrate that substance P (SP)- and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-containing dorsal root ganglion cells project to the pylorus as well as to the celiac superior mesenteric and stellate ganglia as demonstrated with both retrograde and anterograde transport methodology. Binding studies revealed that a small number of the CTB-binding dorsal root ganglion cells contains immunoreactivity to SP and CGRP. The majority of the CTB-binding cells is SP- and CGRP-negative and terminate in the deeper parts of the dorsal horn. After injection of CTB conjugated to HRP (B-HRP) into the nodose ganglion, both motor and sensory elements were labeled in the medulla oblongata. Some of the CTB labeled vagal sensory nerve fibers in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) were also found to contain immunoreactivity to SP or CGRP. The tracer was also transported through the peripheral branch of the nodose ganglion cells and labeled terminals in the esophagus.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Number of dorsal root ganglion neurons and axons in cats of different ages.

Neurons and axons were counted in normal L7 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and dorsal roots of cats from 2 months to 11 years of age. Over this time period no change in neuronal but a slight increase in axonal numbers were observed. These findings indicate that in contrast to previous reports on male rat lumbar ganglia, neurogenesis in cat DRG does not continue into adulthood.

Aging↗

PubMed1989

Rapid degeneration of glial cells during early Wallerian degeneration in the neonatal kitten spinal cord.

Around 24 hours following neonatal lumbar dorsal root transections in kittens, the disintegration of myelinated axons in the lumbar dorsal column was accompanied by the appearance of numerous pyknotic profiles. These profiles were found to represent glial cells in various stages of degeneration. At earlier and later postlesion survival times similar profiles were rare or absent. It is suggested that acute changes in the physical and/or chemical properties of myelinated axons undergoing Wallerian degeneration during a particular developmental period is incompatible with survival of certain types of glial cells. These cells may be oligodendrocytes and/or so-called type II astrocytes.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Proportion of unmyelinated axons in rat molar and incisor tooth pulps following neonatal capsaicin treatment and/or sympathectomy.

The occurrence of unmyelinated axons was examined ultrastructurally in rat molar and incisor root pulps of normal rats, of neonatally capsaicin-treated rats, of rats subjected to neonatal capsaicin treatment followed by resection of the superior cervical ganglion and of sympathectomized but otherwise normal rats. Following capsaicin treatment the occurrence of unmyelinated pulpal axons was slightly subnormal. Sympathectomy was largely without effect on the population of unmyelinated axons in tooth pulps of capsaicin-treated rats. In normal rats the proportion of unmyelinated axons in molar pulps was not altered by sympathectomy but it caused a slight decrease in the number of unmyelinated incisor pulpal axons. These findings support the view that most of the unmyelinated axons in rat molar and incisor pulps are sensory, that the parent neurons of these axons differ from nociceptive neurons at other sites by being largely resistant to neonatal capsaicin treatment and that very few unmyelinated tooth pulp axons represent postganglionic efferents.

Adrenergic Fibers↗

PubMed1988

Expansion of spinal cord primary sensory afferent projection following combined sciatic nerve resection and saphenous nerve crush: a horseradish peroxidase study in the adult rat.

Transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase was used to study the potential for collateral sprouting of saphenous nerve afferent fibers in the lumbar dorsal horn of the adult rat following (1) combined unilateral saphenous nerve crush and ipsilateral sciatic nerve resection, (2) unilateral saphenous nerve crush, and (3) unilateral sciatic nerve resection. The saphenous nerve on the nonlesioned contralateral side served as control. Eight weeks after the lesion(s) the animals were subjected to bilateral application of horseradish peroxidase to the saphenous nerves. The distribution of the ensuing labeling in the superficial dorsal horn was subsequently mapped. Combined saphenous nerve crush and sciatic nerve resection resulted in expansion of the saphenous nerve projection area in the dorsal horn when compared to the nonlesioned control side (mean = 13%, P less than 0.05). No expansion of the saphenous nerve projection was found following isolated saphenous nerve crush or sciatic nerve resection, respectively (P greater than 0.05). The findings indicate that in the adult rat, central processes of primary sensory neurons which are regenerating their peripheral processes can extend collateral sprouts into adjacent projection areas in the superficial dorsal horn subjected to previous deafferentation by peripheral nerve resection.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Selective neuronal destruction by Ricinus communis agglutinin I and its use for the quantitative determination of sciatic nerve dorsal root ganglion cell numbers.

The selectivity of the neurotoxic lesion of Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCAI) in rat dorsal root ganglia was examined. RCAI was injected in the sural nerve on one side. Two weeks later, the injected nerve, as well as the ipsilateral peroneal nerve, were examined in 1-micron-thick plastic embedded sections in the light microscope. The injected nerves showed a complete or almost complete Wallerian-like degeneration of myelinated fibers, but there were no signs of fiber damage in the uninjected nerves, which to a large extent originate in the same ganglia as the injected ones. We conclude that RCAI does not diffuse into and destroy ganglion cells adjacent to those that have transported the substance. We then used this selectivity in the effect of RCAI to determine indirectly the relative number of neurons in dorsal root ganglia L4-L6 which contribute to the sciatic nerve. Three weeks after unilateral injections of RCAI in the sciatic nerve, the L4-L6 dorsal root ganglion cells were counted bilaterally. On average, relative neuronal numbers between injected and uninjected sides were 0.36, 0.15 and 0.64 for L4, L5 and L6 respectively. From these data we conclude that the sciatic nerve receives on average of 64%, 85% and 36%, respectively of its sensory contribution from these ganglia.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Collateral reinnervation of taste buds after chronic sensory denervation: a morphological study.

Peripheral transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was used to label afferent fibers in the taste buds and lingual epithelium 2-12 weeks after chronic chorda tympani or combined chorda tympani-lingual nerve lesions. From 4-12 weeks after a chronic chorda tympani lesion, taste buds could be found. These were innervated by fibers from the ipsilateral lingual nerve. From 8-12 weeks after a chronic chorda tympani-lingual nerve lesion, nerve fibers from the contralateral lingual nerve could be found in a few taste buds on the denervated side of the tongue. Thus, collateral sprouting took place over the midline in this instance. These findings indicate that intact gustatory axons do not sprout into denervated taste buds, but trigeminal fibers in the lingual nerve do have this ability.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Changes in microglial cell numbers in the spinal cord dorsal horn following brachial plexus transection in the adult rat.

The effect of peripheral nerve transection on the size of the microglial cell population in cytoarchitecturally distinct regions of the spinal cord dorsal horn of rats was evaluated at selected intervals 2 through 35 days after unilateral brachial plexotomy. The identification of cells was verified by electron microscopic examination of a representative random sample of cells included in the counts. Microglial cell numbers were increased in laminae I, II as well as the arbitrarily defined deeper laminae 3.5 days after surgery. Although microglial cell numbers in laminae I were within normal range 35 days after axotomy, those of the more ventrally located laminae remained significantly greater than control values for the duration of the experimental period. These findings demonstrate that: 1) microglial cell proliferation in the dorsal horn is an early event in the central changes that are attendant to peripheral nerve injury 2) the time course of the response varies in cytoarchitecturally different regions.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Carbonic anhydrase enzyme histochemistry of cranial nerve primary sensory afferent neurons in the rat.

Hanssons' enzyme histochemical method for the demonstration of carbonic anhydrase has been used to examine primary sensory neurons of cranial nerves in the rat (cochlear ganglion cells excluded). Numerous carbonic anhydrase positive neurons were present in the trigeminal and geniculate ganglia as well as in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus. A few carbonic anhydrase positive ganglion cells were found in the nodose ganglion, but none in the petrosal and vestibular ganglia. However, in the latter ganglia, satellite cells surrounding the neurons frequently showed staining for carbonic anhydrase.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Studies of normal and expansive cutaneous innervation territories of intact and regenerating C-fibres in the hindlimb of the rat.

Two sets of experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the unmyelinated (C) fibre innervation of the hindlimb of rats. In the first experiment the normal innervation territory of the various nerves to the skin in the hindfoot was examined by plasma extravasation of Evans blue after antidromic nerve stimulation. Considerable overlap was found in the territories of nerves on the dorsum of the toes and just proximal to the toes. In the second experiment the capacity of C-fibres in the saphenous nerve for growth into deafferented skin was examined. In rats in which the sciatic nerve was previously sectioned, the innervation territory of the intact saphenous nerve expanded slightly into that of the sciatic in about 20% of the cases by "collateral sprouting". When the sciatic nerve section was combined with ipsilateral saphenous nerve crush, the regenerating C-fibres in the saphenous nerve innervated the sciatic territory in almost 100% of cases, a process we termed "expansive regenerative reinnervation". We conclude that the existence of overlapping C-fibre innervation territories need to be considered in studies of "collateral sprouting". However, regenerating C-fibres can innervate foreign deafferented skin.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Exogenous GM1 ganglioside and thyrotropin-releasing hormone do not affect survival rate of spinal motorneurons and number of ventral root myelinated fibers following early postnatal sciatic nerve transection.

Treatment with gangliosides or thyrotropin-releasing hormone has been shown to stimulate structural and functional recovery that follows mechanical or chemical lesions in the nervous system. We studied the possible effects of the ganglioside GM1 and thyrotropin-releasing hormone on the survival rate of spinal motorneurons after sciatic nerve transection at the age of 1 week in the rat. GM1 (30 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) was administered 24 and 1 h before and once daily for 2 weeks after transection. TRH (2 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) was administered 1 h before, at 2, 16, and 24 h, and thereafter once daily for 7 days after transection. Nine weeks postlesion, the number of motorneuron profiles labeled by retrograde transport from the proximal stump of the sciatic nerve was counted and measured using a computerized image analysis system, and the number of myelinated axons in ventral roots L4 and L5 was estimated. Compared with controls, no significant effects of GM1 or hormone treatment were observed with regard to the number, diameter, and area of motorneuron profiles and the number of ventral root myelinated axons ipsilateral to sciatic nerve injury. The results may indicate principal differences between various lesions and/or metabolic reactions following a lesion of developing and adult neurons. The present lesion model with an intense axon reaction and extensive nerve cell death does not seem to respond to administration of exogenous GM1 or thyrotropin-releasing hormone.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Effect on the rat hypoglossal nucleus of vinblastine and colchicine applied to the intact or transected hypoglossal nerve.

The possibility that interruption of axonal transport in otherwise intact axons induces retrograde neuronal and nonneuronal reactions was examined. In addition, the proposal that blockade of axonal transport proximal to nerve injury might inhibit or delay the axon reaction was examined. Cuffs containing various doses of vinblastine were applied to the intact hypoglossal nerve. Colchicine was applied in a similar way to the intact hypoglossal nerve, injected directly into the intact nerve, or administered proximal to the site of hypoglossal nerve transection. The effect on retrograde axonal transport in the nerve was evaluated in the vinblastine experiments by the retrograde horseradish peroxidase (HRP) technique following injection of HRP or wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated HRP into the tongue. A dose of 0.01% caused an almost complete, but transient, blockade of the retrograde transport of the tracer, and induced a clearcut chromatolytic reaction in hypoglossal neurons. The chromatolytic changes were accompanied by a significant increase in the number of glial cells, many of which were identified as microglia. Similar results were obtained with colchicine alone or in combination with nerve transection. Signs of Wallerian degeneration after vinblastine treatment (0.01%) were observed only in a small number of myelinated fibers. The findings are compatible with the view that depletion of retrogradely transported factors from the peripheral innervation territory (including the distal nerve stump) to the perikaryon and/or a premature return of anterogradely transported substances at the site of drug exposure are factors inducing retrograde neuronal and nonneuronal changes.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Distribution of cardiac sympathetic afferent fibers in the guinea pig heart labeled by anterograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase.

Anterogradely transported wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was used to selectively label the distribution within the guinea pig heart of cardiac sympathetic afferent fibers whose cell bodies lie in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) of C6, C8, T1-3. The majority of fibers were seen in the posterior atrial wall, the pulmonary arterial walls, and along the major branches of the coronary arteries. Labeled fibers were also found in the parietal pericardium and associated with the atrioventricular and aortic valves. The labeling pattern was dependent upon segmental level: the most general labeling followed upper thoracic DRG injection, while labeled fibers associated with the coronary arteries were nearly absent after lower cervical DRG injection. Comparison of heart labeling among chemically sympathectomized and untreated animals demonstrated no difference in the distribution of frequency of WGA-HRP labeled fibers, indicating the specificity of this technique. The present findings indicate that the spinal sensory innervation of the heart has its major origins in the uppermost thoracic dorsal root ganglia and has a highly selective regional distribution. The implications of these findings in relation to cardiac autonomic dysfunction and pain are discussed.

Afferent Pathways↗

PubMed1987

Specific and nonspecific regeneration of motor axons after sciatic nerve injury and repair in the rat.

The pattern of motor axon regeneration following unilateral sciatic nerve lesions (freezing or transection) was studied in adult rats. Transected nerves were repaired with epineurial or fascicular sutures. Four months after the lesion, the motor neuron cell body localization in the spinal cord of plantar or common peroneal nerve axons were examined bilaterally with retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. Motor neuron cell body localization was similar bilaterally after freezing, indicating that regenerating axons had reached their original peripheral innervation territory. However, after nerve transection, irrespective of whether epineurial or fascicular sutures were used, motor neuron cell body distribution on the operated side was abnormal with numerous labeled cell bodies located outside the area of the normal motor neuron pool. This finding indicates that after nerve transection the normal pattern of motor axon innervation is not restored even after fascicular nerve repair.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Demonstration of preganglionic fibers in the inferior mesenteric ganglion, pelvic ganglia and related nerves of the guinea pig by anterogradely transported wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate.

Preganglionic sympathetic neurons in the guinea pig were labeled by injections of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate (WGA-HRP) into the L2 and L3 spinal cord segments. After anterograde transport of the tracer the following areas were examined for the presence of HRP-labeled fibers: the inferior mesenteric ganglion (IMG), the pelvic ganglia, the hypogastric and colonic nerves. In the ganglia labeling appeared predominantly as clusters of varicose-like profiles suggestive of being axon terminals. Particularly in the pelvic ganglia, these profiles appeared to surround the contours of some of the ganglion cell bodies. Numerous HRP-positive fibers were present in the hypogastric nerves, but only occasional fibers were observed in the colonic nerves. The pattern of labeling differed markedly from that described previously after anterograde transport of WGA-HRP in sensory fibers of the IMG, hypogastric and colonic nerves. Furthermore, the results from this and the previous study show that anterograde tracing with WGA-HRP can be a useful means for analyzing the structural organization of various fiber inputs to autonomic ganglia.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Reinnervation of experimental superficial wounds in rats.

Sensory reinnervation of a superficial skin wound in the rat was studied by labeling sensory axons with anterogradely transported wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase. Reinnervation starts after 3 days from the edge of the wound as well as from beneath the wound. About 2 weeks after the production of the wound, some hyperinnervation appears to be present, but after a few additional weeks, the innervation pattern is essentially normal. The results indicate that structural recovery of sensory axons is rapid and probably complete when skin wounds heal with no or minimal scar formation.

Animals↗