Development of the brain stem in the rat. II. Thymidine-radiographic study of the time of origin of neurons of the upper medulla, excluding the vestibular and auditory nuclei.

Groups of pregnant rats were injected with two successive daily doses of 3H-thymidine from gestational days 12 and 13 (E12 + 13) until the day before birth (E21 + 22). In radiographs from adult progeny of these rats the proportion of neurons generated on specific days was determined in the major nuclei of the upper medulla, with the exception of the vestibular and auditory nuclei. The neurons of the motor nuclei are generated over a brief period. Neurons of the retrofacial nucleus are produced first, with more than 60% of the cells arising on day E11 or earlier. Peak generation time of abducens neurons is day E12 and of the neurons of the facial nucleus is day E13. In contrast, the neurons of the superior salivatory nucleus are produced late, predominantly on day E15 and some on day E16. The generation of the (sensory relay) neurons of the nucleus oralis of the trigeminal complex takes place over an extended period between days E12 and E15; the last generated cells include the largest neurons of this nucleus. Neurons of the raphe magnus are produced between days E11 and E14, the neurons of the rostral medullary reticular formation between days E12 and E15. The latest generated neurons of the upper medulla (excluding the cochlear nuclei) belong to a structure identified as the granular layer of the raphe. Combining these results with those of the preceding paper (Altman and Bayer, '80a) and with additional data, it is postulated that the laterally and ventrally situated motor nucleus of the trigeminal, the facial nucleus, and the nucleus ambiguous form a single longitudinal zone of branchial motor neurons with a rostral-to-caudal cytogenetic gradient. In contrast, the medially and dorsally situated (juxtaventricular) hypoglossal nucleus and abducens nucleus (together with the other nuclei of the ocular muscles) form a longitudinal somatic motor zone with a caudal-to-rostral gradient. The dorsal nucleus of the vagus and the superior salivatory nucleus may constitute a preganglionic motor zone, also with a caudal-to-rostral cytogenetic gradient.