| Popis: |
The effects of transection of sympathetic postganglionic axons on uninjured, preganglionic neurons arising from the spinal cord were examined in this study. Protein levels of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were decreased in the superior cervical ganglion after axotomy at short term and long term survival time points, suggesting a response by the uninjured ChAT preganglionic axons. Yet no parallel changes were observed in ChAT protein expression or in the morphology of preganglionic somata in the spinal cord intermediolateral cell column. However, at long term survival time points following the axotomy, a decrease in the number of synaptic boutons making contact with the somata of IML neurons was observed, suggesting that injury to peripheral axons can result in chronic retrograde transsynaptic changes and providing evidence that the effects of peripheral injury can cascade into the central nervous system. |
