Marson L, Platt K B, McKenna K E
Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611.
Neuroscience. 1993 Jul;55(1):263-80. doi: 10.1016/0306-4522(93)90471-q.
Transneuronal tracing techniques were used in order to identify putative spinal interneurons and brainstem sites involved in the control of penile function. Pseudorabies virus was injected into the corpus cavernosus tissue of the penis in rats. After a four day survival period, rats were perfused with fixative and virus-labelled neurons were identified by immunohistochemistry. Postganglionic neurons were retrogradely labelled in the major pelvic ganglia. In the spinal cord, sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons were labelled transneuronally. Presumptive interneurons were also labelled in the lower thoracic and lumbosacral spinal cord in locations consistent with what is currently known about such interneurons. In the brainstem, transneuronally labelled neurons were found in the medulla, pons and hypothalamus. Regions consistently labelled included the nucleus paragigantocellularis, parapyramidal reticular formation of the medulla, raphe pallidus, raphe magnus, A5 noradrenergic cell group, Barrington's nucleus and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. This study confirmed previous studies from our lab and others concerning the preganglionic and postganglionic neurons innervating the penis. The number, morphology and location of these neurons were consistent with labelling seen following injection of conventional tracers into the penis. The brainstem nuclei labelled in this study were also consistent with what is currently known about the brainstem control of penile function. The labelling appeared to be highly specific, in that descending systems involved in other functions were not labelled. These results provide further evidence that the pseudorabies virus transneuronal tracing technique is a valuable method for identifying neural circuits mediating specific functions.
为了确定参与阴茎功能控制的假定脊髓中间神经元和脑干部位，采用了跨神经元追踪技术。将伪狂犬病病毒注射到大鼠阴茎的海绵体组织中。在四天的存活期后，用固定剂灌注大鼠，通过免疫组织化学鉴定病毒标记的神经元。节后神经元在主要的盆神经节中被逆行标记。在脊髓中，交感和副交感节前神经元被跨神经元标记。在下胸段和腰骶段脊髓中也发现了假定的中间神经元，其位置与目前已知的此类中间神经元一致。在脑干中，在延髓、脑桥和下丘脑发现了跨神经元标记的神经元。始终被标记的区域包括巨细胞旁核、延髓的锥体旁网状结构、中缝苍白核、中缝大核、A5去甲肾上腺素能细胞群、巴林顿核和下丘脑室旁核。这项研究证实了我们实验室和其他实验室之前关于支配阴茎的节前和节后神经元的研究。这些神经元的数量、形态和位置与将传统示踪剂注射到阴茎后所见的标记一致。本研究中标记的脑干核也与目前已知的脑干对阴茎功能的控制一致。这种标记似乎具有高度特异性，因为参与其他功能的下行系统没有被标记。这些结果进一步证明，伪狂犬病病毒跨神经元追踪技术是识别介导特定功能的神经回路的一种有价值的方法。
