Projections from the brain stem reticular formation to laminae I and II of the spinal cord. Studies using light and electron microscopic techniques in the North American opossum.

The horseradish peroxidase and autoradiographic methods show that laminae I and outer II are innervated by the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis pars ventralis, and the nucleus reticularis pontis pars ventralis. Both areas contain neurons of the indolamine type and probably account for the indolamine-like varicosities which are present within laminae I and II. Degeneration materiom the above nuclei end on small dendritic shafts and spines as well as on vesicle-filled proflies. The terminals identified formed asymmetrical contacts and contained clear as well as dense-cored vesicles. No terminals were present within glomeruli. A projection to laminae I and outer II also arises within the dorsolateral pons and several ines of evidence suggest that it is catecholaminergic. The electron microscope revealed that axons from the dorsolateral pons are fairly numerous within laminae I and II, but that terminal contacts are relatively rare. Those present are asymmetrical and alternate with intermediate-sized dendrites. They contain clumps of clear, spherical vesicles as well as larger vesicles with a variety of dense cores.