EFFECT OF DENERVATION ON LAMELLAR CELLS OF MEISSNER-LIKE SENSORY CORPUSCLES OF THE RAT - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

The denervation-induced changes on S-100 protein, glial fibrillary aci dic protein (GFAP) and vimentin immunoreactivity (IR) of the lamellar cells from cutaneous Meissner-like sensory nerve formations (SNF), or corpuscles, of the adult rat hind limb foot-pads were studied, using c ombined immunohistochemical and image analysis (optic microdensitometr y) techniques. Animals were allowed to survive for 1, 3 and 7 days fol lowing sciatic and saphenous nerves transection. Lamellar cells of Mei ssner-like corpuscles displayed S-100 protein- and vimentin-IR, but no t GFAP-IR. Denervation caused a marked time-dependent decrease of S-10 0 protein IR whereas vimentin-IR did not change or weakly increased. N o positive GFAP-IR was observed in denervated SNF. These findings sugg est that continuity of SNF with nerve fibers supplying them is necessa ry to maintain some of the immunohistochemical characteristics of the non-neuronal cells of SNF.