Afferent projections to the Bötzinger complex from the upper cervical cord and other respiratory related structures in the brainstem in cats: retrograde WGA-HRP tracing.
Following injection of WGA-HRP (30-60 nl, 5%) into the Bötzinger complex (Böt.c), a group of expiratory neurons in the vicinity of the retrofacial nucleus, a number of labeled neurons were observed, predominantly ipsilaterally, in the intermediate zone of the upper cervical cord at the C1 and C2 segments, the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) in the ventrolateral medulla and the parabrachial-Kölliker-Fuse nuclear complex in the rostral pons. In addition, clusters of labeled cells were also observed in and around the solitary tract nucleus, nuclei ambiguus and retroambiguus, and nucleus raphe magnus. Control injections into the magnocellular tegmental field adjacent to the Böt.c resulted in a diffuse distribution of labeled neurons in the reticular formation. These results demonstrate that the Böt.c receives convergent monosynaptic axonal projections from the upper cervical spinal cord, the pontine pneumotaxic area, the RTN and several other respiratory related structures in the medulla.
Gang
S
S
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Japan.
Sato
Y
Y
Kohama
I
I
Aoki
M
M
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D011149:Pons / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D018998:Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate
D018998:Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate