Fos protein expression in the medulla oblongata and changes in size of spinal lateral horn neurons after 4-wk simulated weightlessness in rats.
Responses of the neurons in medulla oblongata and C8-T1 spinal cord lateral horn of rats induced by simulated weightlessness were investigated using anti-Fos protein and anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) double staining immunohistochemical methods, and Nissl-staining technique respectively. After four weeks of tail-suspension, many Fos-like positive neurons were localized in the medullary visceral zone (MVZ), predominantly in the nucleus of tractus solitarii and ventrolateral medulla, and some of them showed TH-like immunoreactivity. Sizes of the cell bodies of the lateral horn neurons in C8-T1 segment were significantly increased in 4-wk tail-suspended rats (P<0.05) as compared with that in controls. The results suggest that the neurons in MVZ and the spinal lateral horn may be involved in the adaptation of central cardiovascular regulation during weightlessness.
Su
C J
CJ
Institute for Neuroscience, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, P.R. China.
Bao
J X
JX
Zhang
L F
LF
Rao
Z R
ZR
D000818:Animals; D016762:Genes, fos; D018475:Head-Down Tilt; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000378:metabolism*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase