title: c-Fos expression in the midbrain periaqueductal gray after chemoreceptor and baroreceptor activation.
abstract: The pattern of Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) associated with activation of arterial chemoreceptors versus baroreceptor afferents was examined in urethane-anesthetized rats. Chemoreflex responses elicited by repeat intravenous injections of potassium cyanide (KCN; 90 microg/kg) significantly increased FLI in all columns of the PAG relative to saline-injected animals. Pressor responses elicited by intravenous phenylephrine (PE) produced a similar pattern of increased FLI throughout the PAG except in the dorsomedial and lateral columns of the caudal PAG, where FLI was minimal. Chemoreflex responses were unaltered by blockade of excitatory amino acid receptors in the dorsomedial PAG, and < 10% of the neurons of the caudal PAG that expressed FLI after KCN stimulation were retrogradely labeled from the A5 region of the caudal ventrolateral pons. These results indicate that integration of chemoreceptor inputs occurs primarily in the dorsal and lateral columns of the caudal PAG, but these neurons have little direct descending influence over lower brain stem regions integral to the central arterial chemoreflex arc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA.
authors.forename: Linda F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Hayward
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Von Reitzenstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011149:Pons / Q000166:cytology; D011190:Potassium Cyanide / Q000494:pharmacology; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017459:Receptors, Amino Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D017459:Receptors, Amino Acid; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D010656:Phenylephrine; D007736:Kynurenic Acid; D011190:Potassium Cyanide