Decussation of bulbospinal respiratory axons at the level of the phrenic nuclei in adult rats: a possible substrate for the crossed phrenic phenomenon.
The axonal trajectories of inspiratory bulbospinal neurons were examined after deposition of the anterograde neuronal tracer phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) into the rostral ventral respiratory group in rats. At the level of the phrenic nucleus, PHA-L-labeled bulbospinal axons crossed the midline of the spinal cord in both the anterior gray and the anterior white commissure. These spinally decussating neurons provide a possible anatomical substrate for the respiratory reflex known as the crossed phrenic phenomenon.
Goshgarian
H G
HG
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201.
Ellenberger
H H
HH
Feldman
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003714:Denervation; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012119:Respiration; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; C100156:leukoagglutinins, plants