Abstract
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture in particular continue to gain more and more popularity all over the world in the last years, which is one of the reasons for our struggle to clarify the morphological basis of this ancient healing method. For treatment in acupuncture acupuncture needles are used. The acupuncture needles are putted in special acupuncture points (acupoints) located on the body of humans and animals. The aim of this research is to explore the normal morphological structures, which probably are the morphological basis of the local events and therapeutic effect following acupuncture in `Zusanli` (ST36) acupoint in rats and humans. We used classical histological techniques, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry for visualization of morphological structures in ST36 acupoint in humans and rats. In our research we observed normal morphological structures in the examined acupoint ST36: epidermis, dermis, hair follicles and sebaceous glands, subcutis, fascia, epimysium, striated muscle, blood vessels and nerves. We noticed different nerve structures: free nerve endings infiltrate the epidermis; free nerve endings, arranged in a palisade manner, around the hair follicles; small and large nerve fibers in the subcutis and deep in the muscles; muscle spindles in the muscles. We found large blood vessels deep in the muscles in acupoint ST36. We also observed accumulation of mast cells in the vicinicy of blood vessels. In our research we observed normal morphological structures in the examined acupoint. The different nerve structures and mast cells are possibly involved in the local reaction and therapeutic effect of acupuncture.
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