Noxious stimulation on the peripheral nerve by the nucleus pulposus – Expression of c-fos in the lumbar spinal cord; immunohistochemical study – *
It is generally accepted that the nucleus pulposus (NP) can induce adverse neurophysiologic, inflammatory and neurotoxic changes in the nerve roots. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of noxious stimulation by allogenous NP on the peripheral nerve using c-fos as a neural marker of pain in a rat model. The present findings demonstrated that irritants from the allogenous homogenized NP fragment could induce local inflammation, and c-fos expression was observed in the medial regions of laminae Ⅲ and IV at the L4 cord level, c-fos expression shows the neuronal activity of spinal cord neurons. It is suggested to be related to pain. (Accepted on October 27, 2000) Kawasaki Igakkaishi 27(1) : 59 ― 65, 2001
