SIMULTANEOUS DEMONSTRATION OF CENTRAL PROJECTIONS OF DIFFERENT PERIPHERAL-NERVES BY ANTI-CHOLERAGENOID IMMUNOGLOBULIN MARKERS

THIS study demonstrates a fluorescent antibody technique where immunog lobulins (IgG) can be used as transganglionic tracers for the simultan eous demonstration of different primary afferent nerve projections to the spinal cord. Antiserum against choleragenoid (CTB) raised in goat or rabbit was mixed with CTB to obtain a solution consisting of IgG bo und to CTB. The mixtures of rabbit and goat IgG bound to CTB were subs equently injected into the sciatic or femoral nerves. Following transg anglionic transport, goat and rabbit IgG staining were demonstrated si multaneously in different areas of the L4 dorsal root ganglion, in the spinal cord and in the brain stem, using an immunocytochemical techni que. When only goat anti-CTB antibodies or only CTB were injected into the sciatic nerve, no goat IgG immunoreactivity could be detected in the spinal cord.