P2X receptors in the rat uterine cervix, lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia, and spinal cord during pregnancy.

P2X receptors in the rat uterine cervix, lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia, and spinal cord during pregnancy.

Papka Raymond E; Hafemeister Jen; Storey-Workley Megan

Cell and tissue research

2005

2005-07

ATP, an intracellular energy source, is released from cells during tissue stress, damage, or inflammation. The P2X subtype of the ATP receptor is expressed in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells, spinal cord dorsal horn, and axons in peripheral tissues. ATP binding to P2X receptors on nociceptors generates signals that can be interpreted as pain from damaged tissue. We have hypothesized that tissue stress or damage in the uterine cervix during late pregnancy and parturition can lead to ATP release and sensory signaling via P2X receptors. Consequently, we have examined sensory pathways from the cervix in nonpregnant and pregnant rats for the presence of purinoceptors. Antiserum against the

Animals; Blotting; Cervix Uteri/*metabolism; Estrogen Receptor alpha/metabolism; Female; Frozen Sections; Ganglia; Immunohistochemistry; Lumbosacral Region; Pregnancy; Purinergic P2/*metabolism; Purinergic P2X; Rats; Receptors; Spinal Cord/cytology/*metabolism; Spinal/cytology/*metabolism; Sprague-Dawley; Western

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