Activation of Brainstem Pro-opiomelanocortin Neurons Produces Opioidergic Analgesia, Bradycardia and Bradypnoea
Fig 2
Axons from NTSPOMC neurons target the ventrolateral medulla.
(A) Fine varicose axons outlined with ChR2-mCherry from AAV-EF1α-DIO-ChR2-mCherry transduced NTSPOMC neurons were found in the caudal ventrolateral medulla targeted to NA, RVRG, CVL and LRt (white arrows) but were largely absent from the reticular nuclei. (B) In the rostral medulla the axons were also targeted to specific regions including NA, preBötC, CVL and LPGiE (arrows). Imaged area shown below as red rectangle on brightfield images. Axonal fibres revealed by fluorescence immunocytochemistry for mCherry and shown in inverted grayscale for clarity. CVL, caudo-ventrolateral reticular nucleus; Gi, gigantocellular reticular nucleus; LPGi(E), lateral paragigantocellular nucleus (external part); LRt, lateral reticular nucleus; MdD, medullary reticular nucleus (dorsal); MdV, medullary reticular nucleus (ventral); NA, nucleus ambiguus; pre-BötC, pre-Bötzinger Complex; RVRG, rostral ventral respiratory group; VSC, ventral spinocerebellar tract.