title: Cellular mechanisms of baroreceptor integration at the nucleus tractus solitarius.
abstract: The autonomic nervous system makes important contributions to the homeostatic regulation of the heart and blood vessels through arterial baroreflexes, and yet our understanding of the central nervous system mechanisms is limited. The sensory synapse of baroreceptors in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) is unique because its participation is obligatory in the baroreflex. Here we describe experiments targeting this synapse to provide greater understanding of the cellular mechanisms at the earliest stages of the baroreflex. Our approach utilizes electrophysiology, pharmacology, and anatomical tracers to identify and evaluate key elements of the sensory information processing in NTS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon 97201-3098, USA. andresen@OHSU.edu
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Andresen
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018698:Glutamic Acid