Neurons in the substantia gelatinosa rolandi (lamina II) project to the caudal ventrolateral reticular formation of the medulla oblongata in the rat.
Following injections of cholera toxin subunit B in the caudal ventrolateral reticular formation, in an area between the lateral reticular nucleus and the ventrocaudal tip of the spinal trigeminal nucleus, pars caudalis, large numbers of retrogradely labelled cells occurred in lamina II, amounting to 28% and 21% of all labelled neurons in cervical and lumbar enlargements, respectively. Most lamina II cells presented dendritic arbors distributed as narrow radial sheets, resembling the central cells of Ramòn y Cajal. It is suggested that the ventrolateral bulbar reticular formation is the only significant supraspinal target of lamina II tract neurons.
Lima
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Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oporto, Portugal.
Coimbra
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D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012154:Reticular Formation / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D013376:Substantia Gelatinosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*