Multiple complex somatosensory systems in mature rat molars defined by immunohistochemistry.

Objective: Intradental sensory receptors trigger painful sensations and unperceived mechanosensitivity, but the receptor bases for those functions are only partly defined. We present new evidence here concerning complex endings of myelinated axons in rat molars.

Design: We sectioned mature rat jaws in sagittal and transverse planes to analyze neural immunoreactivity (IR) for parvalbumin, peripherin, neurofilament protein, neurotrophin receptors, synaptophysin, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), or mas-related g-protein-receptor-d (Mrgprd).