Distribution of subtypes of metabotropic glutamate receptors in lumbosacral spinal cord of adult macaques

    HE Shiª²Ming1, ZHAO Lei2, LANG Bing3, JIAO Xiª²Ying3, ZHAO Zhenª²Wei1, GAO Guoª²Dong1

    1Department of Neurosurgery,Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University,Xi¬ðan 710038, China,2Department of Pharmacy, Xijing Hospital, 3Department of Neurobiology,School of Basic Medicine,Fourth Military Medical University,Xi¬ðan 710033,China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To explore morphological evidence for the possible roles of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the lumbosacral spinal cord in adult macaques. METHODS: The distribution patterns of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in the lumbosacral spinal cord were studied by employing the immunohistochemical technique. RESULTS: MGluR1¦Á distributed throughout all the laminae of spinal cord. The immunoreactive (ª²ir) products were located on the soma or protrudes of a few interneurons together with the neuropil in the superficial layers of the spinal dorsal horn. In the deeper layers of spinal dorsal horn, intermediate nucleus and the ventral horn, mGluR1¦Áª²ir neurons were observed. The neurons in the ventral horn showed the strongest immunoreactivity. mGluR5ª²ir products, similar with those of mGluR1¦Á, also distributed in neuropil and the soma together with protrudes of some interneurons in the superficial layers of the spinal dorsal horn. In other areas of spinal cord, however, abundant mGluR5ª²ir neuronal soma and protrudes were also observed. MGluR2/3 and mGluR7 distributed in the neuropil of the superficial layers in spinal dorsal horn. No neurons showed mGluR2/3ª²/mGluR7ª²immunoreactivity. CONCLUSION: MGluRs may play some important modulatory roles in the transmission or integration of information in the spinal local circuits of the adult mammals. ......