PARVALBUMIN-EXPRESSING NEURONS ON THE CENTRAL PATHWAY OF THE TRIGEMINAL PROPRIOCEPTIVE SENSATION OF THE RAT: A DOUBLE LABELING STUDY
- VernacularTitle:Parvalbumin样阳性神经元大鼠三叉神经本体觉中枢通路上的分布--FG逆标与免疫组化相结合研究
- Author:
Fuxing ZHANG
;
Jinlian LI
;
Jishuo LI
;
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
parvalbumin;
subnucleus oralis of the spinal trigeminal nucleus;
thalamus;
trigeminal proprioception;
rat
- From:
Chinese Journal of Neuroanatomy
2000;16(1):45-51
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Previous studies showed that the Vodm-LRF-including the dorsomedial part of the subnucleus oralis of the spinal trigeminal nucleus and its adjacent lateral reticular formation--contained the second-order neurons on the central pathway of the trigeminal proprioceptive sensation of the rat and the "zone-shaped area"-including the caudolateral part of the supratrigeminal nucleus (Vsup-CL). The dorsomedial part of principal sensory trigeminal nucleus (Vpdm) and two newly found nuclei: the areaventral to the motor trigeminal nucleus (AVM) and the area dorsal to the superior olivary nucleus (ADO)-contained the third order neurons of this pathway. Parvalbumin (PV) is one of the calcium-binding proteins, In this pathway, many PV-like immunoreactive (PV-LI) neurons were observed in Vodm LRF and the "zone-shaped arena", hut there has been no reports so far regarding whether these PV-LI neurons are projection neurons responsible for the transmission of proprioceptive information or the interneurons serving the modulatory function, in the present study, our aim was to solve the problem by a double labeling study by using retrograde tracing method combined with immunofluorescence histochemistry. The results showed that: (1) following the unilateral Fluoro-Gold (FG) injections into the ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) of the thalamus and the separated parts of the "zone-shaped area", viz, Vpdm, ADO and AVM, many FG-labeled neurons were always found contralaterally in the "zone-shaped area" and ipsilaterally in the Vodm-LRF, respectively; (2) in either the "zone-shaped area" or the Vodm-LRF, a substantial number of the FG retrogradely labeled neurons showed PV-LI. In the Vsup-CL, Vpdm, AVM and ADO, about 57%, 55%, 11% and 4% of the neurons projecting to the VPM of the thalamus showed pV-LI, respectively. Of the total population of PV-LI neurons in the Vsup-CL, Vpdm. AVM and ADO, about 23%, 79%, 53% and 16% were labeled by FG, respectively. Most of these PV/FG double-labeled neurons were medium- to small-sized, round, piriform or irregular in shape. On the other hand, in the Vodm-LRF, approximately 33%, 34% and 50% of the neurons which projected to the Vpdm, AVM and ADO expressed PV-LI, respectively. The percentage of PV/FG double-labeled neurons to the total number of the PV-LI neurons in Vpdm, AVM or ADO were 26%, 17% or 11%, respectively, The present results indicated that PV might play an important role in the transmission of the trigeminal proprioceptive information of the rat from Vndm-LRF to the contralateral VPM of the thalamus through the "zone-shaped area".
