Sympathectomy induces novel purinergic sensitivity in sciatic afferents.
AIM
To test the hypothesis that sympathectomy could induce novel purinergic sensitivity in sciatic afferents.


METHODS
Teased-fiber recordings were made from 32 spontaneously active A afferents from the sciatic nerves in surgically sympathectomized rats and 30 spontaneously active A afferents from the sciatic nerves in intact rats. Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) was injected via a cannula in jugular vein.


RESULTS
Twenty eight percent of the spontaneously active afferent fibers from sciatic nerves in the sympathectomized rats responded to ATP, either with an increase or with a decrease in spontaneous firing. However, none of the fibers from the sciatic nerves in the intact rats was activated by ATP.


CONCLUSION
Sympathectomy induces novel purinergic sensitivity in A afferents from sciatic nerve.