Neurochemical properties of enkephalinergic neurons in lumbar spinal dorsal horn revealed by preproenkephalin–green fluorescent protein transgenic mice

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06715.x
• Publication Date: 2010-03-29T07:31:13Z
• Authors: Jing Huang; Jing Chen; Wei Wang; Wen Wang; Yoshinori Koshimizu; Yan‐Yan Wei; Takeshi Kaneko; Yun‐Qing Li; Sheng‐Xi Wu
• Keywords: Calretinin; Neurochemical; Nissl body

J. Neurochem. (2010) 113 , 1555–1564. Abstract Enkephalin (ENK) has been implicated in nociceptive transmission the spinal cord while its functional role is not clear because of difficulties ideally visualizing ENKergic neurons. We thus developed preproenkephalin–green fluorescent protein transgenic mice to better identify Real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) together with immunohistochemistry and situ hybridization were first employed confirm successful manipulation application showing The proportions neurons laminae I, II, III IV–VI among dorsal horn 15.8 ± 3.1%, 39.5 3.3%, 11.8 1.9% 10.7 2.1%, respectively. Double labeling other molecules was then performed further clarify neurochemical properties GABA found exist 42.9 2.8% that mainly located lamina I–III. parvalbumin‐, calretinin‐, calbindin‐ neuronal nitric oxide synthase‐positive cells 5.2 0.7%, 42.6 2.3%, 25.8 2.2% 11.1 1.6%, Compared previously findings obtained ENK antibody labeling, this line newly generated can be a reliable tool for study specific population.