The goal of this study was to define the detailed cytoarchitecture of the medulla oblongata of the rat in order to accurately localize immunocytochemically distinct populations of neurons in this region. The cytoarchitectonic features of this region of the rat brain stem were examined in 40 micron thick serial sections of celloidin embedded brains blocked in the Horsley-Clarke stereotaxic plane. These sections were stained with cresyl violet and examined at a number of different magnifications with a variety of different intensities of staining to demonstrate particular features of the cells in this region. High magnification photomicrographs of this material revealed characteristic features of the various populations of cells. The results illustrate that the cytoarchitecture of the medulla oblongata of the rat changes remarkably within very short distances in the rostrocaudal direction. These changes indicate the need to study the anatomy and immunocytochemistry of this region in detailed serial sections. The ventral reticular formation of the rat medulla is cytoarchitectonically complex. Nuclear groups such as the lateral reticular nucleus (LRt) contain a number of cytoarchitectonically distinct subnuclei, as does the dorsally located nucleus of the tractus solitarious (nTS) (Kalia and Sullivan, '82). These nuclei occupy a considerable length of the medulla and terminate abruptly at the pontomedullary boundary. A number of other cytoarchitectonic features of the medulla were examined and the detailed characteristics were defined.