Small diameter myelinated afferents produce vasodilatation but not plasma extravasation in rat skin.

Abstract

1. Antidromic stimulation of the rat saphenous nerve at intensities sufficient to excite small myelinated (A.delta.) fibres but not unmyelinated (C) fibres produced evidence of a transient increase in skin blood flow in the saphenous nerve territory. The magnitude and time course of the vasodilatation depended on the number and frequency of stimuli delivered to the nerve. 2. There was no evidence of an accompanying plasma extravasation. 3. The results suggest that A.delta. afferent fibres are involved in axon reflex/axon response reactions as well as unmyelinated (C) afferent fibres.