Projections between the medial region of the nucleus retrofacialis and other respiratory regions in rats brainstem.
OBJECTIVE
To study the projections between the medial region of the nucleus retrofacialis (mNRF) and other respiratory regions in rat brainstem.


METHODS
Twenty-five adult SD rats were used in this study, which received anesthesia with sodium pentobarbitone. Retrograde/anterograde tracing methods were employed by unilateral microinjection into mNRF with 30% horseradish peroxidase (HRP, 0.5-1.0 microliter1) in 13 rats. Another 5 rats with injections of HRP and 2 with WGA-HRP into the regions 2 mm off mNRF served as control groups. and with 5% wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated HRP (WGA-HRP, 20-60 nl) in 5 rats (with another 2 receiving the injections as control).


RESULTS
It was found that HRP-labeled neuronal somas and WGA-HRP labeled terminal fibers were found in many respiration-related regions in rat brainstem such as the nucleus tractus solitarius, nucleus ambiguous, gigantocellular reticular nucleus and so forth.


CONCLUSIONS
There are comprehensive projections between mNRF and other respiratory regions in rat brainstem, and these respiratory regions may be involved in basic respiratory rhythm regulation via these connections with mNRF.
Wang
Ning-Qian
NQ
Department of Physiology, First Military Medical University, Gunagzhou 510515, China.
Wu
Zhong-Hai
ZH
D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012119:Respiration; D012125:Respiratory Center / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology
D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase