title: [Patterns and distribution of the spontaneously discharges neurons in the nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis of rats].
abstract: Using extracellular recording technique, we systematically explored the spontaneously discharging neruons in the caudal half of nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis (cPGCL) in anesthetized and spontaneously breathing Sprague-Dawley rats. The discharge patterns of the neurons and the distribution of the respiratory related neurons (RRNs) in this PGCL area were analysed. A total of 237 neurons with spontaneous discharge were stably recorded in 14 rats. Among them 39 were RRNs and 198 non-RRNs (NRRNs). The discharge patterns of the 198 NRRNs were primarily tonic (n = 178). Of the 39 RRNs, 24 were inspiratory (INs), 12, expiratory (ENs), and 3, phase spanning (PSNs). The INs could be further classified into augmenting (n = 20) and constant or bellshaped (n = 4) INs, and the ENs, into decrementing (n = 7) and constant or bell-shaped (n = 5) ENs. The phase spanning neurons showed a constant or bell-shaped pattern of discharge, including inspiratory-exspiratory (IENs, n = 2) and expiratory-inspiratory (EIN, n = 1) phase spanning ones. Most of the RRNs were distributed in the dorsolateral portion of the cPGCL area and tended to concentrate in the more caudal part. These results suggest that PGCL is one of the important neural substrates responsible for the regulation of rhythimic respiration.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology