Stimulatory effect of substance P on sympathetic ganglia and spinal cord in culture

Abstract Studies with organotypic culture of sympathetic ganglia and spinal cord revealed that substance P at concentrations of 10 −5 to 10−12 M and 10−5 to 10 −14 M exerts a marked growth-stimulating effect on sympathetic ganglia and spinal cord, respectively. In the presence of substance P, the intensity of sympathetic ganglion growth exceeds control values 3.0–4.8 times. The growth zone size of spinal cord explants increases under these conditions 2.0–5.2-fold. A feasible physiological significance of regulatory peptides in the growth and regeneration of nervous tissue as well as the role of noci-antinociceptive systems in histogenesis and regeneration are discussed.