title: Reelin demarcates a subset of pre-Bötzinger complex neurons in adult rat.
abstract: Identification of two markers of neurons in the pre-Bötzinger complex (pre-BötC), the neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) and somatostatin (Sst) peptide, has been of great utility in understanding the essential role of the pre-BötC in breathing. Recently, the transcription factor dbx1 was identified as a critical, but transient, determinant of glutamatergic pre-BötC neurons. Here, to identify additional markers, we constructed and screened a single-cell subtractive cDNA library from pre-BötC inspiratory neurons. We identified the glycoprotein reelin as a potentially useful marker, because it is expressed in distinct populations of pre-BötC and inspiratory bulbospinal ventral respiratory group (ibsVRG) neurons. Reelin ibsVRG neurons were larger (27.1 ± 3.8 μm in diameter) and located more caudally (>12.8 mm caudal to Bregma) than reelin pre-BötC neurons (15.5 ± 2.4 μm in diameter, <12.8 mm rostral to Bregma). Pre-BötC reelin neurons coexpress NK1R and Sst. Reelin neurons were also found in the parahypoglossal and dorsal parafacial regions, pontine respiratory group, and ventromedial medulla. Reelin-deficient (Reeler) mice exhibited impaired respones to hypoxia compared with littermate controls. We suggest that reelin is a useful molecular marker for pre-BötC neurons in adult rodents and may play a functional role in pre-BötC microcircuits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turesson
authors.forename: Xuesi M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Wiktor A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Janczewski
authors.forename: Jack L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012125:Respiratory Center / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000091042:Reelin Protein; C000717129:Reln protein, rat; C000717127:RELN protein, human; C000717128:Reln protein, mouse; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases