Role of respiration related units in the nucleus retrofacialis region in rats.
Experiments were carried out on 10 urethane anesthetized, spontaneously breathing rats. The distribution of respiration related units (RRUs) in the nucleus retrofacialis (NRF) region was explored systematically with an extracellular recording technique and their discharging patterns were analyzed through a microcomputer. A total of 212 spontaneously discharging units were recorded in the NRF region. Among them 120 were RRUs and the remainder were non-respiration related units (NRRUs). Among the RRUs, 28 were determined to be inspiration related units (InRUs); 81 were expiration related units (ExRUs) and 11 were phase-spanning respiration related units (PSUs) according to their temporal relation to phrenic activity. These RRUs were further classified into augmenting, decrementing and constant types based on their discharge patterns. The results indicated that RRUs in the NRF region were relatively abundant as compared to NRRUs, and they were more concentrated in the medial part of the NRF region (mNRF). Among them, ExRUs were predominant.
Tian
G
G
Department of Physiology, Shanghai Medical University.
Qian
Z
Z
Zhang
J
J
D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology*; D012125:Respiratory Center / Q000502:physiology*