Abstract

A variety of neural networks in the central nervous system is determined by the heterogeneity of its constituent neuronal populations. Calcium-binding proteins can be used as markers of different neuronal morphotypes. One of the most common calcium-binding proteins in the nervous system is calretinin. In the present work, using an indirect immunohistochemical method, calretinin-immunopositive neuronal populations were labeled in lumbar segments of the cat (Felis catus) spinal cord. We identified nineteen morphotypes of neurons with strictly segmental and laminar distribution patterns, and attempted to compare putative functions of these neurons with the available literature data. Three morphotypes are located in lamina I, corresponding to neurons involved in nociceptive and temperature processing. Lamina II contains neurons of a single morphotype, on which nociceptive afferents converge. Laminae III–IV comprise three types of projection neurons transmitting information from peripheral mechanoreceptors and nociceptors to supraspinal structures. Laminae V–VI are characterized by functionally different neurons of five morphotypes: two types of interneurons localized to the Clarke’s column and analogous zone of the caudal lumbar segments, which collect proprioceptive information; one type of neurons located at the lateral border between the white and gray matter and responding to pain and tactile signals; and two types of irregularly distributed interneurons (projection or propriospinal neurons) that receive heterogeneous afferent signals from muscle spindles. In laminae VII–VIII, there are two types of sympathetic preganglionic neurons (in the intermediolateral and intercalated nuclei), Renshaw interneurons, and three types of multi-sized dispersedly distributed multipolar cells with unidentified functions. No calretinin-immunopositive neurons were found in lamina IX represented by motoneuron pools. In lamina X, sparse neurons reside around the central canal; their function is also obscure due to the paucity of morphological traits.

中文翻译：

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Calretinin 免疫阳性神经元在猫腰脊髓中的分布

摘要

中枢神经系统中的各种神经网络是由其组成神经元群的异质性决定的。钙结合蛋白可用作不同神经元形态类型的标志物。神经系统中最常见的钙结合蛋白之一是钙视网膜蛋白。在目前的工作中，使用间接免疫组织化学方法，在猫 ( Felis catus） 脊髓。我们确定了 19 种具有严格节段和层流分布模式的神经元形态类型，并试图将这些神经元的假定功能与可用的文献数据进行比较。三种形态类型位于 I 层，对应于参与伤害感受和温度处理的神经元。薄层 II 包含单一形态类型的神经元，伤害性传入神经汇聚于该神经元上。椎板 III-IV 包括三种类型的投射神经元，将信息从外周机械感受器和伤害感受器传递到脊髓上结构。V-VI 层的特点是功能不同的神经元有五种形态：两种类型的中间神经元位于克拉克柱和腰椎尾段的类似区域，收集本体感觉信息；一种神经元位于白质和灰质之间的侧边界，对疼痛和触觉信号做出反应；以及两种不规则分布的中间神经元（投射或本体脊髓神经元），它们接收来自肌梭的异质传入信号。在第 VII-VIII 层中，有两种类型的交感神经节前神经元（在中间外侧和插入的核中），Renshaw 中间神经元和三种类型的多尺寸分散分布的功能不明的多极细胞。在由运动神经元池表示的 IX 层中未发现钙视网膜蛋白免疫阳性神经元。在 X 层，稀疏的神经元位于中央管周围；由于缺乏形态特征，它们的功能也很模糊。