Figure 3

Effect of EA on p-ERK1/2 expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn in inflammatory pain. Immunohistochemiscal analysis shows p-ERK1/2-IR cells in the L4-6 ipsilateral spinal cord dorsal horn in control rats (A), model rats (B), EA-treated rats (C) and sham EA-treated rats (D) at 6 h after CFA injection. (E). Quantification of p-ERK1/2-IR cells in the L4-6 ipsilateral spinal cord dorsal horn of the control group and at 6 and 49 h after CFA injection. (F). The expression of p-ERK1/2 protein in the L4-6 ipsilateral spinal cord dorsal horn by western blot. (G). The quantification of p-ERK1/2 protein normalized against β-actin. Results are mean ± SEM; n = 6. **P < 0.01 versus control group at the corresponding time point. ^▲ P < 0.05, ^▲▲ P < 0.01 versus model group at the corresponding time point. ## P < 0.01 versus sham EA group at the corresponding time point. The scale bar is 100 μm.