QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lichtman, J. W. Articles by Frank, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lichtman, J. W. Articles by Frank, E.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 4, 1754-1763, Copyright © 1984 by Society for Neuroscience

ARTICLE

Anatomical basis of specific connections between sensory axons and motor neurons in the brachial spinal cord of the bullfrog

JW Lichtman, S Jhaveri and E Frank

The anatomical basis for the specificity of the monosynaptic stretch reflex has been studied in the brachial spinal cord of bullfrogs. Sensory axons from the triceps brachii muscle innervate the corresponding triceps motoneurons but do not innervate two types of unrelated motoneurons (subscapularis and pectoralis) (Lichtman, J.W., and E. Frank (1984) J. Neurosci. 4: 1745-1753). Retrograde labeling of these three types of motoneurons with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) demonstrated that their cell bodies had overlapping distributions in the lateral motor column, and their dendrites all occupied the same region of the dorsal horn. In addition, triceps sensory axons aborized extensively in the dorsal horn throughout the brachial spinal cord, with no obvious predilection for the region of the triceps motoneurons. Thus, the physiological specificity of these sensory-motor connections was not apparent from the anatomical location of the sensory or motor neurons. However, by injecting single pairs of related or unrelated sensory and motor cells with HRP, we found that related pairs formed anatomical contacts with each other more frequently than unrelated sensory-motor pairs did. These observations suggest that the specificity of these connections is most likely the result of local interactions between sensory and motor processes.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Z. Wang, L. Y. Li, M. D. Taylor, D. E. Wright, and E. Frank Prenatal Exposure to Elevated NT3 Disrupts Synaptic Selectivity in the Spinal Cord J. Neurosci., April 4, 2007; 27(14): 3686 - 3694. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Marques, J.-A. Conchello, and J. W. Lichtman From Plaque to Pretzel: Fold Formation and Acetylcholine Receptor Loss at the Developing Neuromuscular Junction J. Neurosci., May 15, 2000; 20(10): 3663 - 3675. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Glover Development of Specific Connectivity Between Premotor Neurons and Motoneurons in the Brain Stem and Spinal Cord Physiol Rev, April 1, 2000; 80(2): 615 - 647. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help