title: Development and organization of the descending serotonergic brainstem-spinal projections in the sea lamprey.
abstract: The organization and development of the descending spinal projections from serotonergic rhombencephalic neurons in the larval sea lamprey were investigated by double labeling, tract-tracing methods and immunocytochemistry against serotonin. The results showed that two serotonergic populations of the isthmic and vagal reticular regions present reticulospinal neurons from the beginning of the larval period. Of the three serotonergic subpopulations recognized in the isthmic reticular group [Abalo, X.M., Villar-Cheda, B., Meléndez-Ferro, M., Pérez-Costas, E., Anadón, R., Rodicio, M.C., 2007. Development of the serotonergic system in the central nervous system of the sea lamprey. J. Chem. Neuroanat. 34, 29-46], only two - the medial and ventral subpopulations - project to the spinal cord, with most of the projecting cells in the caudal part of the medial isthmic subpopulation. Occasional cells projecting to the spinal cord were observed in the ventral subpopulation. The vagal reticular serotonergic nucleus situated in the caudal rhombencephalon also presents cells with descending projections. The early development of the brainstem serotonergic projections to the spinal cord appears to be a conserved trait in all vertebrates studied. Although a serotonergic hindbrain-spinal projection system appears to have been present before the divergence of agnathans and gnathostomes, no serotonergic cells were observed in the raphe region in lamprey. Moreover, proportionally more rostral hindbrain serotonergic cells contribute to the spinal serotonergic projections in the sea lamprey than in jawed vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Antón
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barreiro-Iglesias
authors.forename: Verona
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Villar-Cerviño
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anadón
authors.forename: María Celina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rodicio
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001710:Biotin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D001931:Brain Mapping; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000502:physiology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003911:Dextrans; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D048428:Petromyzon / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D012154:Reticular Formation / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; C076397:biotinylated dextran amine; D012701:Serotonin; D001710:Biotin