Skip to main content
Log in

The nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis in the rat

Conformation and cytology

  • Published:
Anatomy and Embryology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis (PGCL) is located in the ventral portion of the rostral medulla. Serial sections of the rat brainstem were examined in the three cardinal planes and the boundaries of the PGCL were determined. In order to visualize the shape and extent of the nucleus, a three-dimensional reconstruction of the PGCL was made from a series of coronal sections. Measurements of neuronal areas, lengths, and widths indicate that a number of neuronal types are present. Small neurons measure less than 150 μm2 and large neurons greater than 250 μm2.

Some neuronal types are distributed preferentially throught the PGCL, and on this basis the nucleus may be divided into caudal and rostral subgroups. Most large neurons (>250 μm2) are found in the caudal portion. Certain neurons contain intranuclear rods, and these neurons are often disposed in small groups, especially common in the caudal PGCL. Two morphologically distinct neuronal types incorporate 3H-serotonin when this marker is infused into the ventricular system; the other neurons not marked by this method probably contain other, different transmitters. On the basis of neuronal measurements and staining qualities, it is ascertained that the PGCL is a parvocellular reticular nucleus characterized by many neuronal types.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

A :

nucleus ambiguus

Gc :

nucleus gigantocellularis

IO :

inferior olivary nucleus

L :

lateral reticular nucleus (pars magnocellularis)

PGCL :

nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis

Pv :

nucleus parvocellularis

Py :

pyramid

s :

lateral reticular nucleus (pars subtrigeminalis)

Tz :

medial nucleus of the trapezoid body

VII :

motor nucleus of the facial nerve

References

  • Akaike A, Shibata T, Satoh M, Takagi H (1978) Analgesia induced by microinjection of morphine into, and electrical stimulation of the nucleus reticularis paragigantocellularis of rat medulla oblongata. Neuropharmacology 17:775–778

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrezik JA (1979) Nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis in the rat: Analysis with Golgi impregnations. Neurosci Absts 5:425

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrezik JA, Chan-Palay V (1977) The nucleus pargigantocellularis lateralis (PGCL): Definition and afferents. Anat Rec 187:524–525

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrezik JA, Chan-Palay V, Palay SL (1981) The nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis in the rat. Demonstration of afferents by the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. Anat Embryol 161:373–390

    Google Scholar 

  • Beitz AJ, Chan-Palay V (1979) The medial cerebellar nucleus in the rat: Nuclear volume, cell number, density and orientation. Neuroscience 4:31–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Brodal A (1957) The reticular formation of the brain stem. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh London

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan-Palay V (1973) A light microscope study of the cytology and organization of neurons in simple mammalian nucleus lateralis: columns and swirls. Z Anat Entwickl-Gesch, 141:125–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan-Palay V (1975) Fine structure of labeled axons in the cerebellar cortex and nuclei of rodents and primates after intraventricular infusions with tritiated serotonin. Anat Embryol 148:235–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan-Palay V (1977a) Indolamine neurons and their processes in the normal rat brain and in chronic diet-induced thiamine deficiency demonstrated by uptake of 3H-serotonin. J Comp Neurol 176:467–494

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan-Palay V (1977b) Cerebellar dentate nucleus: Organization, cytology and transmitters. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan-Palay V (1978) Morphological correlates for transmitter synthesis, transport, release, uptake and catabolism: A study of serotonin neurons in the nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis. In: Fonnum F, ed. Amino Acids as Chemical Transmitters. NATO Advanced Study Symposium. Plenum Press, New York, pp 1–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Couch JR (1970) Responses of neurons in the raphe nuclei to serotonin, norephrine and acetylcholine and their correlation with an excitatory synaptic input. Brain Res 19:137–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Couch JR (1976) Further evidence of a possible serotonergic synapse on raphe neurons of pons and lower midbrain. Life Sci 19:761–768

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlström A, Fuxe K (1964) Evidence for the existence of monoamine containing neurons in the central nervous system. I. Demonstration of monoamines in the cell bodies of brain stem neurons. Acta Physiol Scand 62:Suppl 232, 1–55

    Google Scholar 

  • David S, Nathaniel EJH (1978) Intranuclear inclusions in the developing neurons of the rat cuneate nuclei. Cell Tiss Res 193:525–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Dev NB, Loeschcke HH (1979) Topography of the respiratory and circulatory responses to acetylcholine and nicotine on the ventral surface of the medulla oblongata. Pflügers Arch 379:19–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldberg W (1976) The ventral surface of the brain stem: a scarcely explored region of pharmacological sensitivity. Neuroscience 1:427–441

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldman ML, Peters A (1972) Intranuclear rods and sheets in rat cochlear nucleus. J Neurocytol 1:109–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Fifková E, Marsala J (1967) Stereotaxic atlases for the cat, rabbit and rat. In: Bures J, Petran M, Zacher J (eds) Electrophysiological Methods in Biological Research. Academia Prague 653–731

  • Flórez J, Mediavilla A (1977) Respiratory and cardiovascular effects of met-enkephalin applied to the ventral surface of the brain stem. Brain Res 138:585–590

    Google Scholar 

  • Guertzenstein PG (1973) Blood pressure effects obtained by drugs applied to the ventral surface of the brain stem. J Physiol 229:395–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Hökfelt T, Elde R, Johansson O, Terenius L, Stein L (1977) The distribution of enkephalinimmunoreactive cell bodies in the rat central nervous system. Neurosci Lett 5:25–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Hökfelt T, Terenius L, Kuypers HGJM, Dann O (1979) Evidence for enkephalin immunoreactive neurons in the medulla oblongata projecting to the spinal cord. Neurosci Lett 14:55–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsushita M (1970) The axonal pathways of spinal neurons in the cat. J Comp Neurol 138:391–418

    Google Scholar 

  • Meessen H, Olszewski J (1949) A cytoarchitectonic atlas of the rhombencephalon of the rabbit. S Karger, Basel New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Olszewski J, Baxter D (1954) Cytoarchitecture of the human brainstem. S Karger, Basel New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Palay SL, Chan-Palay V (1974) The cerebellar cortex. Cytology and organization. Springer-Verlag, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Palkovits M, Jacobowitz DM (1974) Topographic atlas of catecholamine and acetylcholinesterase-containing neurons in the rat brain. II. Hindbrain (mesencephalon, rhombencephalon). J Comp Neurol 157:29–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrovický P (1963) Formatio reticularis medullae oblongata in the rat. Acta Univ Carol Med 9:733–740

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrovický P (1966) A comparative study of the reticular formation of the guinea pig. J Comp Neurol 128:85–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrovický P (1968) Über die glia marginalis und oberflächliche nervenzellen im hirnstamm der katze. Z Anat Entwickl-Gesch 127:221–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Poitras D, Parent A (1978) Atlas of the distribution of monoamine-containing nerve cell bodies in the brain stem of the cat. J Comp Neurol 179:699–718

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramón y Cajal S (1909) Histologie du système nerveux de l'homme et des vertébrés. Maloine, Paris, Volume 1

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramón y Cajal S (1933) Histology. William Wood and Co., Baltmore

    Google Scholar 

  • Satoh M, Akaike A, Takagi H (1979) Excitation by morphine and enkephalin of single neurons of nucleus reticularis paragigantocellularis in the rat: a probable mechanism of analgesic action of opioids. Brain Research 169:406–410

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlaefke M, Kille JF, Loeschcke HH (1979) Elimination of central chemosensitivity by coagulation of a bilateral area on the ventral medullary surface in awake cats. Pflügers Arch 378:231–241

    Google Scholar 

  • Sëite R, Mei N (1972) Influence de la stimulation electrique sur la fréquence des batônnets intranucléaires des neurones sympathique. Étude quantitative en microscopie electronique. CR Hebd, Acad Sci (Paris) 272:3352–3355

    Google Scholar 

  • Sëite R, Mei N, Couineau S (1971) Modification quantitative des batônnets intranucléaires des neurones sympathiques sous l'influence de la stimulation electrique. Brain Res 34:277–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Taber E (1961) The cytoarchitecture of the brain stem of the cat. I Brain stem nuclei. J Comp Neurol 116:27–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Takagi H, Satoh M, Akaike A, Shikata T, Yajima H, Ogawa H (1978) Analgesia by enkephalins injected into the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis of rat medulla oblongata. Eur J Pharmacol 49:113–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Valverde F (1962) Reticular formation of the albino rat's brain stem. Cytoarchitecture and corticofugal connections. J Comp Neurol 119:25–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Wünscher W, Schober W, Werner L (1965) Architektonischer Atlas vom Hirnstamm der Ratte. S Hirzel, Leipzig

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Supported in part by U.S. Public Health Service Research Grants NS 10536 and NS 03659 and Training Grant NS 05591 from the National Institute for Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke

Reported in preliminary form at the 91st session of the American Association of Anatomists, Vancouver, B.C., 1978

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Andrezik, J.A., Chan-Palay, V. & Palay, S.L. The nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis in the rat. Anat Embryol 161, 355–371 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00316048

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00316048

Key words

Navigation