Title

Distribution and morphology of calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P immunoreactive axons in the whole-mount atria of mice

Authors

Authors

Auton. Neurosci-Basic Clin.

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

J. Non-Cryst. Solids

Keywords

Neuropeptides; CGRP; SP; Nociceptive; Atria; Cardiac ganglia; VAGAL AFFERENT INNERVATION; GUINEA-PIG HEART; NUCLEUS AMBIGUUS; PROJECTIONS; ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY; ACTION-POTENTIAL PROPERTIES; ISOLATED RAT HEARTS; CARDIAC GANGLIA; SENSORY NEURONS; POSTISCHEMIC; RECOVERY; INTRACARDIAC GANGLIA; Neurosciences

Abstract

The murine model has been used to investigate the role of cardiac sensory axons in various disease states. However, the distribution and morphological structures of cardiac nociceptive axons in normal murine tissues have not yet been-well characterized. In this study, whole-mount atria from FVB mice were processed with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) primary antibodies followed by secondary antibodies, and then examined using confocal microscopy. We found: 1) Large CGRP-IR axon bundles entered the atria with the major veins, and these large bundles bifurcated into small bundles and single axons that formed terminal end-nets and free endings in the epicardium. Varicose CGRP-IR axons had close contacts with muscle fibers, and some CGRP-IR axons formed varicosities around principle neurons (PNs) within intrinsic cardiac ganglia (ICGs). 2) SP-IR axons also were found in the same regions of the atria, attached to veins, and within cardiac ganglia. Similar to CGRP-IR axons, these SP-IR axons formed terminal end-nets and free endings in the atrial epicardium and myocardium. Within ICGs, SP-IR axons formed varicose endings around PNs. However, SP-IR nerve fibers were less abundant than CGRP-IR fibers in the atria. 3) None of the PNs were CGRP-IR or SP-IR. 4) CGRP-IR and SP-IR often colocalized in terminal varicosities around PNs. Collectively, our data document the distribution pattern and morphology of CGRP-IR and SP-IR axons and terminals in different regions of the atria. This knowledge provides useful information for CGRP-IR and SP-IR axons that can be referred to in future studies of pathological remodeling. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Subjects

L. Li; J. T. Hatcher; D. B. Hoover; H. Gu; R. D. Wurster;Z. X. Cheng

Volume

181

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

37

Last Page

48

WOS Identifier

WOS:000333785500006

ISSN

1566-0702

Share

COinS