A comprehensive immunofluorescence and lectin binding analysis of intervibrissal fur innervation in the mystacial pad of the rat

• The innervation of the intervibrissal fur in the mystacial pad of the rat and mouse wasexamined by immunofluorescence with a wide variety of antibodies for neuronal relatedstructural proteins, enzymes, and peptides as well as for lectin binding histofluorescence with Griffonia simplicifolia (GSA). Anti-protein gene product 9.5 (PGP) immunofluorescencelabeled all sets of axons and endings. The innervation in the upper dermis and epidermis wasdistributed through a four tiered dermal plexus. From deep to superficial, the second tier wasthe source of all apparent myelinated mechanorceptors, the third tier of nearly all thepeptidergic and GSA binding innervation, and the fourth tier of nonpeptidergic GSA negativeinnervation (peptide-/GSA-). Three types of mechanoreceptors—Merkel, transverse lanceolate,and longitudinal lanceolate endings—innervated guard hair follicles. All had similarlabeling characteristics for 160 kDa and 200 kDa neurofilament subunits, peripherin,carbonic anhydrase, synaptophysin, and S100. Palisades of longitudinal lanceolate endingswere part of piloneural complexes along circumferentially oriented sets of transverselanceolate endings, peptidergic free nerve endings (FNEs), and peptide-/GSA- FNEs. Thelongitudinal lanceolate endings were the only mechanoreceptors in the mystacial pad that haddetectable calcitonin gene-related peptide. The epidermis contained four types of unmyelinatedendings: simple free nerve endings (FNEs), penicillate endings, cluster endings and bushendings. Only the simple FNEs were clearly peptidergic. Virtually all others were peptide-/GSA-. Each bush ending was actually an intermingled cluster of endings formed by severalunmyelinated axons and occasionally anAd axon. In contrast to the other unmyelinated innervationto the epidermis, bush endings labeled with an antibody against the Schwann cell protein S100. Thenecks and mouths of follicles, as well as superficial vasculature, were innervated by a mixture of unmyelinated peptidergic and/or GSA labeled sensory and sympathetic axons. Small presumptivesweat glands were innervated by three sets of peptidergic axons of which one was immunoreactivefor somatostatin. Potential functions of the various sets of innervation are discussed.

Nyckelord

Sensory innervation

automatic innervation

mechanoreceptors

unmyelinated axons

hair

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