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Cholinergic projections to the preBötzinger Complex
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- Author / Creator
- Yang, Xiaqiu
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Breathing is a vital behavior regulated by the brainstem neurons. To maintain regular ventilation, these neurons need to establish proper interactions with other neurons and process signals transmitted by various neurotransmitters. Located in the ventrolateral medulla, the neurons in the preBötzinger Complex (preBötC) are essential for respiratory rhythmogenesis. Cholinergic neurotransmission influences the activity of preBötC and affects the activity of rhythmic respiratory neurons. However, the source of cholinergic inputs to the preBötC and the roles of those projections are not fully understood. Using transgenic ChAT-Cre mouse line, Cre-depended viruses, combinatorial genetics, and state-of-the-art technologies, we investigated the cholinergic connections of the preBötC. In our study, we injected the HSV into the preBötC of ChAT-Cre mice to non-specifically label the neurons projecting to the preBötC, and the retrograde Cre-dependent virus to specifically label cholinergic neurons. Then, we use microscopy to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the distribution of the retrogradely labeled neurons. Furthermore, we injected the anterograde Cre dependent virus into the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus and laterodorsal tegmentum (PPT/LDT), two cholinergic structures proposed to provide cholinergic inputs to preBötC neurons of ChAT-Cre mice and analyzed the labeled axons within the preBötC. We observed that cholinergic inputs to the preBötC are primarily from the neighboring regions including lateral paragigantocellular nucleus (LPGi) and nucleus ambiguus (NA), while the preBötC receives few cholinergic inputs from the brainstem major cholinergic nuclei PPT/LDT. Our study provides the anatomical foundation to help researchers further investigate the cholinergic modulation of respiration, the physiological roles of cholinergic neurons adjacent to the preBötC, and the cardiorespiratory disorders related to cholinergic dysfunction.
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- Subjects / Keywords
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- brainstem projections
- the preBötzinger Complex
- laterodorsal tegmental nuclei
- pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei
- cholinergic projections
- medial portion of the rostral ventrolateral medulla
- herpes simplex virus
- Adeno-associated viruses
- Double-Floxed Inverted Open reading frame
- breathing
- immunofluorescence
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- Graduation date
- Spring 2022
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Master of Science
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.