Organization of anterogradely labeled spinocervical tract terminations in the lateral cervical nucleus of the cat. 1987

A D Craig, and S Sailer, and K D Kniffki
Physiologisches Institut der Universität, Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany.

The anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase following injections into the cervical, thoracic, or lumbosacral spinal cord was used to examine the organization of spinocervical tract terminations in the lateral cervical nucleus (LCN) of the cat. A somatotopic organization of the labeling originating from different spinal levels was observed in the mediolateral dimension. Cervical labeling generally occurred in the ventromedial portion and lumbosacral labeling in the dorsolateral portion of the LCN. Thoracic labeling occurred both in the middle and the most lateral edge of the nucleus. In all cases, labeling was distributed over most of the rostrocaudal extent of the LCN. In addition, distinct patches of labeling were present in the medialmost portion of the nucleus, regardless of the spinal level injected. These observations corroborate the topographical organization of the LCN described previously on the basis of physiological and retrograde labeling data, and support the identification of the medialmost part of the LCN as a distinct portion of the nucleus. Terminal labeling in the LCN always occurred in multiple, longitudinally distributed fields. The afferent input to each terminal field coursed in separate, loose bundles of fibers that descended from the superficial dorsolateral funiculus. Large injections resulted in more extensive, overlapping terminal fields. These observations indicate that collateral projections result in several discrete representations of a given portion of the skin over the longitudinal extent of the LCN, but that topographical relationships are longitudinally maintained. It is suggested that these multiple terminal fields are the anatomical correlate of the functionally selective convergence of spinocervical tract terminations, that has previously been postulated on physiological grounds to explain the generation of LCN receptive fields with homogenous receptor input within a somatotopic framework.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009434 Neural Pathways Neural tracts connecting one part of the nervous system with another. Neural Interconnections,Interconnection, Neural,Interconnections, Neural,Neural Interconnection,Neural Pathway,Pathway, Neural,Pathways, Neural
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D006735 Horseradish Peroxidase An enzyme isolated from horseradish which is able to act as an antigen. It is frequently used as a histochemical tracer for light and electron microscopy. Its antigenicity has permitted its use as a combined antigen and marker in experimental immunology. Alpha-Peroxidase,Ferrihorseradish Peroxidase,Horseradish Peroxidase II,Horseradish Peroxidase III,Alpha Peroxidase,II, Horseradish Peroxidase,III, Horseradish Peroxidase,Peroxidase II, Horseradish,Peroxidase III, Horseradish,Peroxidase, Ferrihorseradish,Peroxidase, Horseradish
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013116 Spinal Cord A cylindrical column of tissue that lies within the vertebral canal. It is composed of WHITE MATTER and GRAY MATTER. Coccygeal Cord,Conus Medullaris,Conus Terminalis,Lumbar Cord,Medulla Spinalis,Myelon,Sacral Cord,Thoracic Cord,Coccygeal Cords,Conus Medullari,Conus Terminali,Cord, Coccygeal,Cord, Lumbar,Cord, Sacral,Cord, Spinal,Cord, Thoracic,Cords, Coccygeal,Cords, Lumbar,Cords, Sacral,Cords, Spinal,Cords, Thoracic,Lumbar Cords,Medulla Spinali,Medullari, Conus,Medullaris, Conus,Myelons,Sacral Cords,Spinal Cords,Spinali, Medulla,Spinalis, Medulla,Terminali, Conus,Terminalis, Conus,Thoracic Cords
D013133 Spinothalamic Tracts A bundle of NERVE FIBERS connecting each posterior horn of the spinal cord to the opposite side of the THALAMUS, carrying information about pain, temperature, and touch. It is one of two major routes by which afferent spinal NERVE FIBERS carrying sensations of somaesthesis are transmitted to the THALAMUS. Spinothalamic Tract,Tract, Spinothalamic,Tracts, Spinothalamic

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