GLUTAMATE AND ASPARTATE IN THE SPINAL TRIGEMINAL NUCLEUS

三叉神经脊束核(STN)，尤其是亚核 尾侧肌是口腔面神经传递的重要组成部分 伤害性信息传递到高级大脑核团。虽然很多人 生理学研究表明了这一点的重要性。 在口面部伤害性感觉中，很少有解剖学数据是 可用来描述两个广泛的 分布可能的兴奋性神经递质、谷氨酸和 天冬氨酸和STN中的其他发射器。尤其是，没有 电子显微镜免疫组织化学研究已经 用来研究任何一种氨基酸与STN的关系 投影或相互连接。对这一概念的理解 这两种氨基酸在STN中的分布将提供一种 为今后对其进行生化和药理研究奠定基础 并最终可能导致更好的治疗管理 口腔疼痛的症状。 该项目旨在实现三个长期目标，即 1)对谷氨酸和天冬氨酸进行超微结构分析。 包含大鼠各亚核的神经元和突起 STN通过使用针对这2个基因的单抗 氨基酸；2)阐明突触关系和可能的 谷氨酸和天冬氨酸与其他推定基因的共定位 神经递质和神经调节剂，包括P物质， 胆囊素、脑啡肽和FMRF-酰胺；以及3)使用 逆行追踪，WGA-HRP，以确定是否 从STN到丘脑的投射起源细胞， 小脑和脊髓也含有谷氨酸，是否 谷氨酸参与三叉神经-丘脑-皮质 路径。这些神经元将在超微结构上进行表征 以及它们与谷氨酸能和P物质的关系 所描述的突触。投影的末端分枝 此外，我们亦会研究上述地区的STN。 使用顺行束示踪剂菜豆的超微结构 寻常型亮氨酸凝集素(PHA-L)与电子结合 显微免疫组织化学技术用于可视化 谷氨酸。 通过实现这些目标，更好地理解 STN亚核和下丘脑的神经解剖学排列 兴奋性氨基酸在细胞结构中的重要性 将获得STN。这些信息对我们的 理解继电器背后的生化机制 口面部疼痛和触觉感觉到其他大脑核团。 这种理解最终可能会让新的和更好的 控制口腔面部疼痛的治疗方法有待开发。

The spinal trigeminal nucleus (STN), especially subnucleus caudalis, is an important component in the relay of orofacial nociceptive information to higher brain nuclei. Although many physiological studies have indicated the importance of this nucleus in orofacial nociception, very little anatomical data is available describing the relationships between two widely distributed putative excitatory neurotransmitters, glutamate and aspartate, and other transmitters in the STN. In particular, no electron microscopic immunohistochemical studies have been done to examine the relationship of either amino acid to STN projections or interconnections. An understanding of the distribution of these two amino acids in the STN will provide a basis for future biochemical and pharmacological studies of this region and may ultimately lead to better therapeutic management of orofacial pain. This project is designed to fulfill 3 long term objectives, which are: 1) to ultranstructurally analyze glutamate- and aspartate- containing neurons and processes in each subnucleus of the rat STN by using monoclonal antibodies that are specific for these 2 amino acids; 2) to elucidate the synaptic relationships and possible co-localization of glutamate and aspartate with other putative neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, including substance P, cholecystokinin, enkephalin and FMRF-amide; and 3) to use a retrograde-tract tracer, WGA-HRP, to determine whether the cells of origin of projections from the STN to the thalamus, cerebellum and spinal cord also contain glutamate and whether glutamate is involved in the trigeminal-thalamic-cortical pathway. These neurons will be characterized ultrastructurally and their involvement in both glutamatergic and substance P synapses described. The terminal arborization of projections from the STN to the above regions will also be examined ultrastructurally by using an anterograde tract tracer, Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L), combined with electron microscopic immunohistochemical techniques to visualize glutamate. By achieving these objectives, a better understanding of both the neuroanatomical arrangement of the STN subnuclei and of the importance of excitatory amino acids in the cytoarchitecture of the STN will be gained. This information is essential to our understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying the relay of both orofacial pain and tactile sensations to other brain nuclei. This understanding may ultimately allow new and better treatments for the control of orofacial pain to be developed.