Normal and precocious sprouting of heat nociceptors in the skin of adult rats

The ability of intact cutaneous thermonociceptive C fibers to sprout into adjacent denervated skin, and the effects of this of electrical activity in the axons, were studied in adult rats. The presence of heat-sensitive endings in the back skin was assessed physiologically by the ability of a hot probe to elicit the reflex contraction of the underlying cutaneous trunci muscle; sensory C fibers were detected both by the Evans Blue technique, in …