Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2001 Jan;44(1):7-14.

An Immunohistochemical Tracing on the Central Neural Pathways An Immunohistochemical Tracing on the Central Neural Pathways

• Kim BG
• Hwang EG
• Jung TG
• Kim JP
• Kim DJ
• Jeon SY

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The transsynaptic transfer of neurotropic viruses is an effective tool for tracing chains of connected neurons, because replication of virus in the recipient neurons after the transfer amplifies the "tracer signal". The aim of this study is to identify the central neural pathways projecting to the facial nerve using the Bartha strain of the Pseudorabies virus (PRV-Ba )as a transsynaptic tracer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
PRV-Ba was injected into the facial nerve in the stylomastoid foramen of a rat, and was localized in the rat brain with light microscopic immunohistochemistry using primary antibodies against the PRV-Ba. Sequential tracing was carried out on the retrogradely labeled neurons were done.
RESULTS
The shapes of upper motor neurons of facial nerve were mostly ovoid or polygonal. The positive immunoreactive cells observed in the brainstem nuclei included raphe obscurus nucleus, facial nucleus, parvocellular reticular nucleus, spinal trigeminal nucleus, ventral parabrachial nucleus, central gray, and dorsal raphe nucleus. Other positive cells stained in the diencephalon were found in periventricular hypothalamic nucleus, dorsal hypothalamic area, orbital gyri, and infralimbic cortex in the frontal lobe.
CONCLUSIONS
These results show the central neural pathways of facial nerve using PRV-Ba.

Keyword

Pseudorabies virus; Immunohistochemistry

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antibodies
Brain
Brain Stem
Diencephalon
Facial Nerve
Frontal Lobe
Herpesvirus 1, Suid
Immunohistochemistry
Motor Neurons
Neural Pathways*
Neurons
Orbit
Raphe Nuclei
Rats
Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal
Antibodies