Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The distribution of spinal projection neurons in the hypothalamus of the rat, studied with the HRP method

  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The distribution and number of hypothalamospinal tract (HST) neurons were studied following injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) at various levels of the rat spinal cord. The hypothalamus was divided into four areas and one nucleus, that is, the dorsal (DHA), posterior (PHA), medial (MHA) and lateral (LHA) hypothalamic areas and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN).

The total numbers of HST neurons labeled with HRP varied according to the injection levels: 6,160 (C2 injections), 3,808 (T8), 1,961 (L1), 919 (L7) and 13 (S4). With C2 injections LHA contained 3,464 neurons, which accounted for 56% of the full number of HST neurons; similarly, PVN, 1,114 (18%); MHA, 865 (14%); DHA and PHA, 817 (12%). With L7 injections, LHA contained 444 labeled neurons, which accounted for 48% of the total; PVN, 327 (36%); MHA, 71 (8%); DHA with PHA, 77 (8%). As for the rostrocaudal distribution of labeled neurons, there was only a slight difference between the C2 and L6 injections in LHA, but no difference was noticed in PVN, DHA nor PHA.

The present findings suggest that 70% of HST neurons may project to the cervical and thoracic cords. Although the number of labeled HST neurons decreased as the injection sites were placed caudally, no clearcut topographical arrangement was recognized in terms of the spinal projection levels.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AHN:

anterior hypothalamic nucleus

ARN:

hypothalamic arcuate nucleus

CI:

internal capsule

CP:

cerebral peduncle

DHA:

dorsal hypothalamic area

DK:

nucleus of Darkschewitsch

DMN:

hypothalamic dorsomedial nucleus

EW:

Edinger-Westphal nucleus

F:

fornix

FF:

field of Forel

FR:

fasciculus retroflexus

HRP:

horseradish peroxidase

HST:

hypothalamospinal tract

INS:

interstitial nucleus of Cajal

LHA:

lateral hypothalamic area

LHAd:

dorsal part of the lateral hypothalamic area

LHAv:

ventral part of the lateral hypothalamic area

LM:

medial lemniscus

ME:

median eminence

MHA:

medial hypothalamic area

MHAd:

dorsal part of the medial hypothalamic area

MHAv:

ventral part of the medial hypothalamic area

MMN:

medial mammillary nucleus

MT:

mammillothalamic tract

OT:

optic tract

PHA:

posterior hypothalamic area

PVN:

paraventricular nucleus

RCA:

retrochiasmatic area

RN:

red nucleus

SMN:

supramammillary nucleus

SO:

supraoptic nucleus

VMN:

hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus

VTA:

ventral tegmental area

ZI:

zona incerta

References

  • Adams JC (1977) Technical considerations on the use of horseradish peroxidase as a neuronal marker. Neuroscience 2: 141–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Beattie J, Brow GR, Long CNH (1930) Physiological and anatomical evidence for the existence of nerve tracts connecting the hypothalamus with spinal sympathetic centres. Proc R Soc B 105: 253–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Bleier R (1961) The hypothalamus of the cat. A cytoarchitectonic atlas with Horsely-Clarke coordinates. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Blessing WW, Chalmers JP (1979) Direct projection of catecholamine (presumably dopamine)-containing neurons from hypothalamus to spinal cord. Neurosci Lett 11: 35–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadwell RD, Bleier R (1976) A cytoarchitectonic atlas of the mouse hypothalamus. J Comp Neurol 167: 315–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Buijs RM (1978) Intra- and extrahypothalamic vasopressin and oxytocin pathways in the rat. Pathways to the limbic system, medulla oblongata and spinal cord. Cell Tiss Res 192: 423–435

    Google Scholar 

  • Castiglioni AJ, Galloway MC, Coulter JD (1978) Spinal projections from the midbrain in monkey. J Comp Neurol 178: 329–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheatham ML, Matzke HA (1966) Descending hypothalamic medullarly pathways in the cat. J Comp Neurol 127: 369–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Christ JF (1969) Derivation and boundaries of the hypothalamus, with atlas of hypothalamic grisea. In: Haymaker W, Anderson E, Nauta WJH (eds) The hypothalamus. Thomas, Springfield, pp 13–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciriello J, Calaresu FR (1977) Descending hypothalamic pathways with cardiovascular function in the cat: A silver impregnation study. Exp Neurol 57: 561–580

    Google Scholar 

  • Crutcher KA, Humbertson AO, Jr, Martin GF (1978) The origin of brainstem-spinal pathways in the North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Studies using the horseradish peroxidase method. J Comp Neurol 179: 169–194

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham R, Jr, Karnovsky MJ (1966) The early stages of absorption of injected horseradish peroxidase in the proximal tubules of mouse kidney: ultrastructural cytochemistry by a new technique. J Histochem Cytochem 14: 291–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Groot J De (1959) The rat hypothalamus in stereotaxic coordinates. J Comp Neurol 113: 389–400

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurdjian ES (1927) The diencephalon of the albino rat. Studies on the brain of the rat, No 2. J Comp Neurol 43: 1–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Hancock MB (1976) Cells of origin of hypothalamo-spinal projections in the rat. Neurosci Lett 3: 179–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Hatton GI, Hutton UE, Hoblitzell ER, Armstrong WE (1976) Morphological evidence for two populations of magnocellular elements in the rat paraventricular nucleus. Brain Res 108: 187–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosoya Y, Matsushita M, Ikeda M (1977) The distribution of spinal descending tract neurons in the hypothalamus and midbrain of the cat. A study with the horseradish peroxidase technique. Acta Anat Nippon 52: 42

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosoya Y, Matsushita M (1979) Identification and distribution of the spinal and hypophyseal projection neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the rat. A light and electron microscopic study with the horseradish peroxidase method. Exp Brain Res 35: 312–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Kneisley LW, Biber MP, La Vail JH (1978) A study of the origin of brain stem projections to monkey spinal cord using the retrograde transport method. Exp Neurol 60: 116–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Krieg WJS (1932) The hypothalamus of the albino rat. J Comp Neurol 55: 19–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuypers HGJM, Maisky VA (1975) Retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase from spinal cord to brainstem cell groups in the cat. Neurosci Lett 1: 9–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Lammers HJ, Lohmann AHM (1974) Structure and fiber connections of the hypothalamus. In: Swaab DF, Schadé JP (eds) Integrative hypothalamic activity. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 61–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Nauta WJH, Haymaker W (1969) Hypothalamic nuclei and fiber connections. In: Haymaker W, Anderson E, Nauta WJH (eds) The hypothalamus. Thomas, Springfield, pp 136–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Ono T, Nishino H, Sasaka K, Muranoto K, Yano I, Simpson A (1978) Paraventricular nucleus connections to spinal cord and pituitary. Neurosci Lett 10: 141–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Saper CB, Loewy AD, Swanson LW, Cowan WM (1976) Direct hypothalamo-autonomic connections. Brain Res 117: 305–312

    Google Scholar 

  • Saper CB, Swanson LW, Cowan WM (1979a) Some efferent connections of the rostral hypothalamus in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) and cat. J. Comp Neurol 184: 205–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Saper CB, Swanson LW, Cowan WM (1979b) An autoradiographic study of the efferent connections of the lateral hypothalamic area in the rat. J Comp Neurol 183: 689–706

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson LW (1977) Immunohistochemical evidence for a neurophysin-containing autonomic pathway arising in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Brain Res 128: 346–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Szentágothai J, Flerkó B, Mess B, Halász B (1962) Hypothalamic control of the anterior pituitary. Akademiai Kiadó, Budapest, pp 19–72

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Niihari, 305, Ibaraki, Japan

    Y. Hosoya

Authors
  1. Y. Hosoya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hosoya, Y. The distribution of spinal projection neurons in the hypothalamus of the rat, studied with the HRP method. Exp Brain Res 40, 79–87 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236665

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236665

Key words

Search

Navigation