An Interpretation of Dental Innervation Based upon the Pattern of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP)-Immunoreactive Thin Sensory Axons

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Abstract
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a recently characterized neuroactive substance that is expressed in a large proportion of small- to medium-diameter sensory ganglion neurons whose central terminals lie in the superficial spinal and medullary dorsal horn. This restricted distribution within the peripheral nervous system suggests a prominent role for the peptide in nociceptive processing. The mammalian tooth pulp, which receives a relatively homogeneous afferent input from thin (putative nociceptive) fibers originating from this subpopulation of trigeminal ganglion cells, thus affords an ideal target zone in which to examine peripheral nociceptive mechanisms. The large percentage of these neurons displaying CGRP-like immu-noreactivity (CGRP-LI) furthermore provides a valuable tool to study its thin-fiber afferent innervation.