ENHANCED CYTOCHROME-OXIDASE STAINING OF THE CUNEATE NUCLEUS IN THE RAT REVEALS A MODIFIABLE SOMATOTOPIC MAP

被引:35
作者
CROCKETT, DP
MASLANY, S
HARRIS, SL
EGGER, MD
机构
[1] Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway
基金
美国国家科学基金会;
关键词
DORSAL COLUMN NUCLEUS; PLASTICITY; PRIMARY AFFERENT; SOMATOSENSORY; TOPOGRAPHICAL ORGANIZATION; METABOLISM;
D O I
10.1016/0006-8993(93)91642-6
中图分类号
Q189 [神经科学];
学科分类号
071006 ;
摘要
Existing cytochrome oxidase (CO)-staining techniques were modified to enhance sensitivity and contrast in order to examine patterns of CO-activity in the dorsal column nuclei (DCN) of adult Long-Evans rats. Within a rostrocaudally limited region in the middle of the cuneate nucleus (CN) distinctive blotches of intense CO-activity were observed. The CO-staining was maximally differentiated approximately 0.3-0.7 mm caudal to the obex. No CO-blotches were observed anywhere else in the DCN. Transganglionic labelling (WGA-HRP) demonstrated that some of the CO-blotches in the rat CN are related to the terminal projection fields of primary afferents from the skin of the forepaws. The corresponding location of primary afferent termination fields and CO-staining patterns supports a tripartite rostrocaudal division in the rat CN, similar to that described by other investigators in cats, monkeys and raccoons. Comparing the patterns of CO-staining to (1) the cytoarchitecture (Nissl-stained sections), or to (2) the dendritoarchitecture (distribution of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) or to (3) the organization of retrogradely labelled (WGA-HRP/HRP) cuneothalamic cells, revealed no topographical organization corresponding to the CO-blotches. Postnatal (at least up to 11 days postpartum) forepaw deafferentation or removal disrupted the CO-staining pattern in the CN.
引用
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页码:41 / 55
页数:15
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