Purinergic activation of dorsal root ganglion neurones in vivo.

Functional relevance of non-synaptic purinergic receptors on dorsal root ganglion cells was tested in vivo by the influence of ATP using 2P-LSM and Ca imaging. Within a few seconds after local application of ATP, neurones in dorsal root ganglion were activated indicated by an increase of their calcium signal. The signal reached its maximum within a few seconds and declined to control values after about 30 s. Purinergic action seems to include non-synaptic cell-to-cell communication within dorsal root ganglia.