The segmental and regional projections of the sciatic, tibial and common peroneal nerves to the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cord in rats were studied with an acid phosphatase method. Experiments were performed on 42 rats in which, under chloral hydrate anesthesia, the sciatic, tibial and common peroneal nerves were respectively severed. After a survival time of 5-12 days, the lumbosacral segments of the spinal cord were removed and sectioned.
The frozen sections were incubated using a modified version of Gomori's method. The segments of the projections of the sciatic and tibial nerves to the substantia gelatinosa were located in the L
2-S
1, region, while the segments of the projections of the common peroneal nerve were from L
2, to L
6.
The regional projections of the sciatic nerve in the most medial, intermediate and the most lateral parts were found to be at segments L
2 - L
3, while those for the whole of the substantia gelatinosa were located from L
4 to S
1. Projections of the tibial nerve for the most medial and intermediate parts were shown to be located at segments L
2-L
5, while those for the medial parts were shown to be from L
6-S
1. The regional projections of the common peroneal nerve were fully found in the intermediate parts of all segments.
The above study has provided anatomical data for investigating the mechanisms of somaticosplanchnic interrelations and the principles governing acupuncture anesthesia.
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