title: Anatomical evidence for a bi-neuronal pathway connecting the nucleus tractus solitarius to caudal ventrolateral medulla to rostral ventrolateral medulla in the rat.
abstract: Using tract tracing techniques and dual-color histochemistry, this study investigated connections between the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM), and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) in the rat. The anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was deposited into the NTS. The retrograde tracer Fluoro-Gold was deposited into the RVLM. In the CVLM, Fluoro-Gold-labeled cells were found intermingled with anterogradely labeled fibers coursing from the NTS. BDA-labeled axons, varicosities, and boutons were observed in close apposition to retrogradely labeled neurons in the CVLM. These data provide anatomical evidence for a bi-neuronal pathway from NTS to CVLM to RVLM; and support the hypothesis that these connections may comprise the medullary baroreceptor reflex pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*