O neuropeptídeo urocortina 1 (UCN 1) tem entre os seus principais locais de expressão o núcleo de Edinger-Westphal (EW) e o núcleo lateral superior da oliva. Após sua descoberta, sugeriu-se que o EW e o núcleo paraventricular do hipotálamo (PVH) possuíssem papéis complementares e opostos na resposta ao estresse, porém, não existem trabalhos que relacionam anatomicamente núcleos hipotalâmicos e o EW. A fim de contribuir para esta área foi proposto o mapeamento das aferências hipotalâmicas do EW, através da injeção de Fluoro-Gold neste núcleo e posterior mapeamento de suas aferências. Os resultados encontrados foram: PVH, área hipotalâmica lateral (LHA) e o núcleo posterior do hipotálamo (PH) e outras regiões do sistema nervoso central. Para controle, o traçador anterógrado Amina Dextrana Biotinilada, foi injetado nos núcleos/áreas hipotalâmicas PVH, LHA e PH sendo encontradas fibras próximas as células urocortinérgicas do EW. Nossos dados mostram um possível envolvimento das células UCN 1 do EW com o controle de funções autonômicas e neuroendócrinas. / The neuropeptide urocortin 1 (UCN 1) has its main sites of expression at the Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EW) and the lateral superior olivary nucleus. After its discovery has suggested that EW and paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVH) have complementary and opposing roles in the stress response. However, there are no works relating anatomically the hypothalamic nuclei and EW. To contribute to this area we proposed mapping the hypothalamic afferents of the EW. We have used the Fluoro-Gold injected in the EW as a result of we have found retrogradely labeled cells in the following nuclei: PVH, lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), posterior hypothalamic nucleus (PH) and other regions of the central nervous system. For control, the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine was injected into the nuclei/areas hypothalamic PVH, LHA, and PH we have found anterogradely labeled fibers in a very close apposition over urocortinergic cells at EW. Based on these data we are suggesting a involvement of cells with UCN 1 EW control of autonomic and neuroendocrine functions.

O neuropeptídeo urocortina 1 (UCN 1) tem entre os seus principais locais de expressão o núcleo de Edinger-Westphal (EW) e o núcleo lateral superior da oliva. Após sua descoberta, sugeriu-se que o EW e o núcleo paraventricular do hipotálamo (PVH) possuíssem papéis complementares e opostos na resposta ao estresse, porém, não existem trabalhos que relacionam anatomicamente núcleos hipotalâmicos e o EW. A fim de contribuir para esta área foi proposto o mapeamento das aferências hipotalâmicas do EW, através da injeção de Fluoro-Gold neste núcleo e posterior mapeamento de suas aferências. Os resultados encontrados foram: PVH, área hipotalâmica lateral (LHA) e o núcleo posterior do hipotálamo (PH) e outras regiões do sistema nervoso central. Para controle, o traçador anterógrado Amina Dextrana Biotinilada, foi injetado nos núcleos/áreas hipotalâmicas PVH, LHA e PH sendo encontradas fibras próximas as células urocortinérgicas do EW. Nossos dados mostram um possível envolvimento das células UCN 1 do EW com o controle de funções autonômicas e neuroendócrinas. / The neuropeptide urocortin 1 (UCN 1) has its main sites of expression at the Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EW) and the lateral superior olivary nucleus. After its discovery has suggested that EW and paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVH) have complementary and opposing roles in the stress response. However, there are no works relating anatomically the hypothalamic nuclei and EW. To contribute to this area we proposed mapping the hypothalamic afferents of the EW. We have used the Fluoro-Gold injected in the EW as a result of we have found retrogradely labeled cells in the following nuclei: PVH, lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), posterior hypothalamic nucleus (PH) and other regions of the central nervous system. For control, the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine was injected into the nuclei/areas hypothalamic PVH, LHA, and PH we have found anterogradely labeled fibers in a very close apposition over urocortinergic cells at EW. Based on these data we are suggesting a involvement of cells with UCN 1 EW control of autonomic and neuroendocrine functions.

The purpose of this study was to use retrograde tracing techniques to examine hepatic neuroanatomy in the rat model, with special emphasis upon the identification of previously undiscovered intrahepatic parasympathetic ganglia. Retrograde analysis was performed using Fluoro-Gold (FG) tracer injections of both male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. To accurately examine the neural connectivity of both the vasculature and the parenchyma, the FG-labelled livers were divided into two groups. In the first, vessel trees were extracted via dissection and whole-mounted for bright field and confocal visualization. Left lateral lobes taken from the male and female liver that constituted the second group were sectioned, and slices from various layers of tissue were fixed to slides and visualized. The results indicated the presence of several large, fluorescent structures bearing a strong resemblance to parasympathetic ganglia. However, the images were not detailed enough to properly differentiate true ganglia from similar paraganglia. Regardless, the importance of this experiment lies in its attempt to revisit an understudied field in neuroscience, and the findings of this study could potentially provide a starting point for further inquiry.