c-Fos induction in the rat spinal dorsal horn partially deafferented by dorsal rhizotomy

The 4th and 5th segments of the lumbar (the L4 and L5) dorsal horn receive primary input from the sciatic receptive fields through the L4 and L5 dorsal roots. Noxious stimulation of the hindpaw with formalin induces c-Fos in neurons in superficial laminae (I and II) of these dorsal horn segments. Rhizotomy of the L5 dorsal root 2 days before stimulation resulted in a marked reduction in the number of neurons with c-Fos protein-like immunoreactivity (fos-neurons). At 3 weeks after the L5 rhizotomy, the number of fos-neurons in laminae I and II significantly increased compared to that at 2 days post-rhizotomy. This result indicates that chronic partial deafferentation by dorsal rhizotomy increases responsiveness of superficial dorsal horn neurons to spared primary input.