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Transneuronal Tracing of Brainstem Circuitry Controlling Blood Flow to Skeletal Muscle Using Pseudorabies Virus (PRV) Recombinants in Rats
Author(s) -
Lee Taekeyong,
Lois James H,
Troupe Joey H,
Yates Bill J
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.lb35-b
Subject(s) - brainstem , raphe , locus coeruleus , anatomy , medulla , rostral ventrolateral medulla , spinal cord , biology , medulla oblongata , raphe nuclei , rostral ventromedial medulla , skeletal muscle , retrograde tracing , neuroscience , central nervous system , nociception , serotonergic , serotonin , dorsum , hyperalgesia , biochemistry , receptor
There is considerable evidence to suggest that distinct brainstem regions regulate blood flow to skeletal muscle. These regions control sympathetic outflow to blood vessels in skeletal muscles in part to match blood flow to ensuing motor activity. However, the locations of neurons that regulate muscle blood flow have not been mapped. For this purpose, we injected different recombinants of PRV into the left and right gastrocnemius muscles. The spinal cord was transected at the L2 level to eliminate transport of PRV from infected motoneurons to the brainstem, such that only sympathetic circuitry was infected. Brainstem neurons infected by each virus were located bilaterally in the same areas, particularly the raphe pallidus and raphe obscurus in the mid‐medulla, rostral ventromedial medulla, rostral ventrolateral medulla, A5 cell group, and locus coeruleus. The neurons in these areas presumably send central command signals bilaterally to the skeletal muscles, contributing to producing exercise hyperemia.