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Expression of growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a in visceral vagal and spinal afferent parthways

Jia Yundan, Chen Xi, Tang Ming, Jiang Zhengyao

Department of Physiology, Medical College of Qingdao University.Qingdao 266071,Shandong

Abstract

In this study, the expressions of growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a （GHS-R1a） in the rat dorsal root ganglion （DRG） and nodose ganglion （NG） were investigated by using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The results clearly showed the presence of GHS-R1a mRNA and GHS-R1a-positive neurons in the rat DRG and NG. GHS-R1a was also co-localized with calcitonin gene-related peptide （CGRP） in some DRG and NG neurons, indicating the existence of subpopulations of the visceral afferents. The extrinsic primary afferent visceroceptive DRG and NG neurons from the stomach were identified by retrograde tracing fluorogold and stained for GHS-R1a and CGRP. Some neurons both positive for CGRP and GHS-R1a were labled by fluorogold. Our results not only demonstrate the expression of GHS-R1a in the vagal afferents but also provide the fwst and direct morphological evidence for its presence in the spinal visceral afferents, and gherin might have a modulatory role in the visceral afferent signaling.

Key words: growth hormone secretagogue receptor;Dorsal root ganglion;Nodose ganglion;Rat;In situ hybridization

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Citing This Article：

Jia Yundan, Chen Xi, Tang Ming, Jiang Zhengyao. Expression of growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a in visceral vagal and spinal afferent parthways. Acta Physiol Sin 2008; 60 (1): 149-155 (in Chinese with English abstract).