The tectopontine projection the the rat with comments on visual pathways to the basilar pons

Journal Article · Tue Oct 20 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Comp. Neurol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.902020212· OSTI ID:5513385

Burne, R A; Azizi, S A; Mihailoff, G A; Woodward, D J

The projection from the superior and inferior colliculi to the basilar pons in the rat was studied with the technique of orthograde transport of labeled amino acids and autoradiography. Injections restricted to the medial or lateral regions of the superior colliculus gave rise to grain labeling representing terminal fields over the ipsilateral peduncular, dorsolateral, and ventrolateral regions of the caudal basilar pons and over the dorsomedial area of the contralateral nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (NRTP). The pontine projection from the superior colliculus to the lateral basilar pons is topographically organized; the medial superior colliculus projects primarily to the peduncular region, whereas the lateral superior colliculus terminates chiefly in ventrolateral pontine areas. A projection from the superior colliculus to the contralateral dorsomedial pontine and medial peduncular pontine regions, a previously undescribed finding, has also been shown. Descending fibers from the inferior colliculus do not appear to terminate extensively within the basilar pons but rather course adjacent to pontine cells of the dorsolateral region in the caudal pons. Pretectal nuclei project ipsilaterally to medial and lateral nuclei in the rostral and middle basilar pons, respectively. A rostrocaudal topography exists in the tectopontine projection; the pretectum projects to rostromiddle basilar pons, the superior colliculus to more caudal pontine regions, and the inferior colliculus (although sparsely) to further caudal areas. The pontine projection pattern from the colliculi and pretectum differs from the pontine afferents from the visual cortices.

• Research Organization: Department of Cell Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas
• OSTI ID: 5513385
• Journal Information: J. Comp. Neurol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Comp. Neurol.; (United States) Vol. 202:2; ISSN JCNEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550801* -- Morphology-- Tracer Techniques
551001 -- Physiological Systems-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
BODY
BRAIN
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CEREBELLUM
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
MORPHOLOGY
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHYSIOLOGY
RATS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
VISION