Dorsomedial pontine neurons with descending projections to the medullary reticular formation express orexin-1 and adrenergic alpha2A receptor mRNA.

ABSTRACT: Neurons located in the dorsomedial pontine rapid eye movement (REM) sleep-triggering region send axons to the medial medullary reticular formation (mMRF). This pathway is believed to be important for the generation of REM sleep motor atonia, but other than that they are glutamatergic little is known about neurochemical signatures of these pontine neurons important for REM sleep. We used single-cell reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to determine whether dorsomedial pontine cells with projections to the mMRF express mRNA for selected membrane receptors that mediate modulatory influences on REM sleep. Fluorescein (FITC)-labeled latex microspheres were microinjected into the mMRF of 26-34-day-old rats under pentobarbital anesthesia. After 5-6 days, rats were sacrific

SUBMITTER: Volgin DV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2744346 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature