Open AccessEndogenous lectin (RL‐29) expression of the autonomic preganglionic neurons in the rat spinal cord
Author(s) -
Park Mae Ja,
Chung Kyungsoon
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
the anatomical record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1097-0185
pISSN - 0003-276X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0185(19990101)254:1<53::aid-ar7>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - spinal cord , lectin , endogeny , neuroscience , anatomy , biology , endocrinology , microbiology and biotechnology
Abstract Rat spinal neurons expressing lectin RL‐29 are visualized immunohistochemically. RL‐29 immunoreactive (RL‐29 IR) neurons are found in the lateral parts of laminae V‐VII, designated as the intermediolateral cell column (IML) in the thoracic cord, the sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN) in the lumbosacral cord, and the dorsomedial nucleus (DMN) of the ventral horn. The majority of RL‐29 IR neurons in the SPN are also labeled by a retrograde tracer DAPI applied to the cut L6‐S1 ventral roots. These data indicate that the majority of RL‐29 IR neurons in the SPN are autonomic preganglionic neurons, thus suggesting that RL‐29 can be a useful tool in marking this subpopulation of neurons. In addition, the presence of previously described RL‐29 IR primary afferent fibers and terminals in the dorsal parts of the cord are confirmed. Anat Rec 254:53–60, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.