TY  - JOUR
AU  - Maurer, Norbert
AU  - Nissel, Helmut
AU  - Bittner, Reginald
AU  - Crevenna, Richard
AU  - Mucha, Marion
AU  - Gornik, Erich
AU  - Feigl, Georg
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/11/09
TI  - The Nociceptive Glio-Neural Complex as a Histoanatomical Substrate of Acupuncture Meridians?
JO  - OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine
SP  - 048
VL  - 10
IS  - 04
AB  - Morphological evidence of peripheral glial cell involvement is lacking. Therefore, we investigated the presence of Schwann cells in acupuncture meridians. Eight legs of four unembalmed cadavers were used. Along the stomach meridian and a control meridian, quadrangular samples were taken from skin to the deep subcutaneous fascia and embedded in paraffin. 5 µm sections were stained for H&E and processed for immunolabeling using antibodies against S100 and NFP, respectively. In the stomach meridian, a large assembly of glial cells was detected at the border of the papillar layer of the dermis to the superficial layer of the subcutaneous tissue in both colorations. In contrast, no glial cells could be detected in the control area. The presence of glial cells in the stomach meridian is a morphological indication that they also contribute to the function of acupuncture.
SN  - 2573-4393
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2504048
DO  - 10.21926/obm.icm.2504048
ID  - Maurer2025
ER  -