In vivoパッチクランプ法を用いた脊髄における内臓感覚シナプス伝達の解析と下部尿路機能の中枢性制御

概要

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　Coordinated movement of the bladder, urethra and external urethral sphincter in the lower urinary tract (LUT) is essential for the bladder filling and voiding. The activations of these organs are precisely controlled by the central nervous system including the spinal cord, through the peripheral sympathetic (hypogastric), parasympathetic (pelvic) and somatic (pudendal) nerves. Preganglionic neurons in sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN) of the spinal cord play an important role of in regulating different pelvic organ function including micturition and defecation. In this study, we developed an in vivo patch-clamp recording technique from spinal preganglionic neurons to investigate how the spinal cord controls the LUT function at the synaptic level. Slice patch-clamp recordings from SPN neurons were also used to analyze excitatory monosynaptic inputs from primary afferent fibers. Preganglionic neurons in SPN showed tonic or phasic firing properties in response to current pulse injections and SPN neurons received monosynaptic Aδ and C fiber-mediated excitatory synaptic inputs. Intravesical pressure was synchronously changed with neuronal bursting of sacral spinal preganglionic neurons in vivo. The newly developed recording technique is useful for elucidating the detailed synaptic mechanism for spinal control of LUT function.
日本疼痛学会の論文