Thesis (doctoral)--University of Tampere, 1984. / Includes previously published articles. Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-56 (1st group)).

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide, a family of neuropeptides, is shown to inhibit food intake upon intracerebroventricular injection to the rat. CART peptide-immunoreactivity (irCART) was detected in neurons of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMNV) of postnatal day one (P1) rats, the earliest day examined. The number of labeled DMNV neurons reached the peak between P5 and P8 rats and gradually declined thereafter. Few irCART neurons were noted in the DMNV between P22 and P90 rats. Double-labeling the medullary sections from P5 and P8 rats with CART-antiserum and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-antiserum revealed that irCART neurons in the DMNV were ChAT-immunoreactive (irChAT), but not all irChAT neurons were irCART. Intraperitoneal injection of the retrograde tracer Fluorogold to P3 and P5 rats labeled DMNV neurons, the majority of which were also irCART. The number of irCART neurons in other regions of the brain and spinal cord generally showed an increase in adult rats as compared to that of the same regions in immature rats. Our result suggests that expression of irCART in DMNV neurons undergoes developmental changes such that few neurons appear to contain irCART in mature rats. As a corollary, CART may be a signaling molecule to the gastrointestinal tract during the critical period of early development.

No description available.

Thesis (doctoral)--Utrecht, 1979.

The two recently isolated hypothalamic peptides orexin A and orexin B, also known as hypocretin 1 and 2, are reported to be important signaling molecules in feeding and sleep/wakefulness. Orexin-containing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus project to numerous areas of the rat brain and spinal cord including the intermediolateral cell column (IML) of the thoracolumbar spinal cord. An in vivo and in vitro study was undertaken to evaluate the hypothesis that orexins, acting on sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs) in the rat spinal cord, increase sympathetic outflow. First, orexin A (0.3, 1, and 10 nmol) by intrathecal injection increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) by an average of 5, 18, and 30 mmHg and 10, 42, and 85 beats/min in urethane-anesthetized rats. Intrathecal injection of saline had no significant effects. Orexin B (3 nmol) by intrathecal administration increased MAP and HR by an average of 11 mmHg and 40 beats/min. The pressor effects of orexin A were attenuated by prior intrathecal. injection of orexin A antibodies (1:500 dilution) but not by normal serum albumin. Intravenous administration of the α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin (0.5 mg/kg) or the β-adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol (0.5 mg/kg) markedly diminished, respectively, the orexin A-induced increase of MAP and HR. Second, whole cell patch recordings were made from antidromically identified SPNs of spinal cord slices from 12- to 16-day-old rats. Superfusion of orexin A or orexin B (100 or 300 nM) excited 12 of 17 SPNs, as evidenced by a membrane depolarization and/or increase of neuronal discharges. Orexin A- or B-induced depolarizations persisted in TTX (0.5 μM)-containing Krebs solution, indicating that the peptide acted directly on SPNs. Results from our in vivo and in vitro studies together with the previous observation of the presence of orexin A-immunoreactive fibers in the IML suggest that orexins, when released within the IML, augment sympathetic outflow by acting directly on SPNs.

Fung Kwai Ching. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves i-ix (last gp.)). / Acknowledgement --- p.i / Legend for graphs --- p.ii-iii / Legend for pictures --- p.iv / Legend for diagrams --- p.v / Legend for tables --- p.vi / Abstract --- p.vii-viii / Introduction --- p.1-17 / Chapter 1 --- Known Anatomy and Physiology --- p.1-2 / Chapter 2 --- The Nephron --- p.3-4 / Chapter 3 --- Renal Vasculature --- p.5-7 / Chapter 4 --- Summary of renal anatomy from infancy to children from review of literature --- p.8 / Chapter 5 --- Function of the kidney --- p.9-17 / Imaging Background --- p.18-23 / Chapter 1 --- Neonates and infants kidneys- sonographic appearance of echogenicity --- p.18-19 / Chapter 2 --- Prominence of medullary pyramicd (MP) --- p.20-21 / Chapter 3 --- Morphometric Studies --- p.22-23 / Aim of Study --- p.24 / Method --- p.24-41 / Chapter 1 --- Method --- p.24-30 / Chapter 2 --- """Limitations"" to the technique" --- p.30-34 / Chapter 3 --- Establishing the technique --- p.35-41 / Results --- p.42-62 / Chapter 1 --- Comparison of kidney length with age --- p.42-44 / Chapter 2 --- Corticomedullary and age relationship --- p.45-48 / Chapter 3 --- Medullary thickness correlated with age --- p.48-52 / Chapter 4 --- Sum of the cortical thickness and medullary thickness versus kidney length --- p.53-54 / Chapter 5 --- Compare CMR with kidney length and --- p.55-56 / Chapter 6 --- CMR versus age --- p.57-59 / Chapter 7 --- Mean of CMR related to age group --- p.57-59 / Chapter 8 --- Compare CMR with kidney length and age --- p.60 / Chapter 9 --- Compare gender and CMR --- p.60-61 / Chapter 10 --- Compare laterality and CMR --- p.60 / Result summary --- p.62 / Discussion --- p.63-84 / Chapter 1 --- Cortex --- p.63-65 / Chapter 1.1 --- Cortex: anatomy --- p.66-67 / Chapter 1.2 --- Cortex: physiology --- p.67-76 / Chapter 2 --- Medulla --- p.76-81 / Chapter 2.1 --- Medulla: anatomy --- p.76 / Chapter 2.2 --- Medulla: physiology --- p.76-81 / Chapter 3 --- "Corticomedullary ratio, CMR" --- p.82-83 / Chapter 4 --- CMR and Kidney Length --- p.83 / Chapter 5 --- "The CMR, Kidney Length and Age" --- p.83 / Chapter 6 --- Corticomedullary Ratio and its relationship to actual corticomedullary volume ratio --- p.84 / Chapter 7 --- "Laterality, Sex of the subjects" --- p.84 / Implications --- p.84-94 / Clinical pathological cases and corticomedullary ratio CMR --- p.90-94 / Conclusion --- p.94-95 / Appendix --- p.96-103 / Chapter 1 --- Morphologic Development and Anatomy of the Kidneys and Urinary Tract --- p.96-98 / Chapter 2 --- Renal Perfusion and Glomerular Filtration --- p.99-101 / Chapter 3 --- Classification of renal diseases --- p.102-103 / References

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Little is known about the role that tachykinins, such as substance P and its receptor, the neurokinin-1 receptor, play in the generation of sympathetic nerve activity and the integration within the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) of many vital autonomic reflexes such as the baroreflex, chemoreflex, somato-sympathetic reflex, and the regulation of cerebral blood flow. The studies described in this thesis investigate these autonomic functions and the role of tachykinins through physiological (response to hypercapnoea, chapter 3), anatomical (neurokinin-1 receptor immunohistochemistry, chapter 4) and microinjection (neurokinin-1 receptor activation and blockade, chapters 5 and 6) experiments. In the first series of experiments (chapter 3) the effects of chemoreceptor activation with hyperoxic hypercapnoea (5%, 10% or 15% CO2 in O2) on splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity and sympathetic reflexes such as the baroreflex and somato-sympathetic reflex were examined in anaesthetized rats. Hypercapnoea resulted in sympatho-excitation in all groups and a small increase in arterial blood pressure in the 10 % CO2 group. Phrenic nerve amplitude and phrenic frequency were also increased, with the frequency adapting back to baseline during the CO2 exposure. Hypercapnoea selectively attenuated (5% CO2) or abolished (10% and 15% CO2) the somato-sympathetic reflex while leaving the baroreflex unaffected. This selective inhibition of the somato-sympathetic reflex while leaving the baroreflex unaffected was also seen following neurokinin-1 receptor activation in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) (see below). Microinjection of substance P analogues into the RVLM results in a pressor response, however the anatomical basis for this response is unknown. In the second series of experiments (chapter 4), the distribution of the neurokinin-1 receptor in the RVLM was investigated in relation to catecholaminergic (putative sympatho-excitatory “C1”) and bulbospinal neurons. The neurokinin-1 receptor was demonstrated on a small percentage (5.3%) of C1 neurons, and a small percentage (4.7%) of RVLM C1 neurons also receive close appositions from neurokinin-1 receptor immunoreactive terminals. This provides a mechanism for the pressor response seen with RVLM microinjection of substance P analogues. Neurokinin-1 receptor immunoreactivity was also seen a region overlapping the preBötzinger complex (the putative respiratory rhythm generation region), however at this level a large percentage of these neurons are bulbospinal, contradicting previous work suggesting that the neurokinin-1 receptor is an exclusive anatomical marker for the propriobulbar rhythm generating neurons of the preBötzinger complex. The third series of experiments (chapter 5) investigated the effects of neurokinin-1 receptor activation and blockade in the RVLM on splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity, arterial blood pressure, and autonomic reflexes such as the baroreflex, somato-sympathetic reflex, and sympathetic chemoreflex. Activation of RVLM neurokinin-1 receptors resulted in sympatho-excitation, a pressor response, and abolition of phrenic nerve activity, all of which were blocked by RVLM pre-treatment with a neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist. As seen with hypercapnoea, RVLM neurokinin-1 receptor activation significantly attenuated the somato-sympathetic reflex but did not affect the sympathetic baroreflex. Further, blockade of RVLM neurokinin-1 receptors significantly attenuated the sympathetic chemoreflex, suggesting a role for RVLM substance P release in this pathway. The fourth series of experiments (chapter 6) investigated the role of neurokinin-1 receptors in the RVLM, caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM), and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and tail blood flow (TBF). Activation of RVLM neurokinin-1 receptors increased rCBF associated with a decrease in cerebral vascular resistance (CVR). Activation of CVLM neurokinin-1 receptors decreased rCBF, however no change in CVR was seen. In the NTS, activation of neurokinin-1 receptors resulted in a biphasic response in both arterial blood pressure and rCBF, but no significant change in CVR. These findings suggest that in the RVLM substance P and the neurokinin-1 receptor play a role in the regulation of cerebral blood flow, and that changes in rCBF evoked in the CVLM and NTS are most likely secondary to changes in arterial blood pressure. Substance P and neurokinin-1 receptors in the RVLM, CVLM and NTS do not appear to play a role in the brainstem regulation of tail blood flow. In the final chapter (chapter 7), a model is proposed for the role of tachykinins in the brainstem integration of the sympathetic baroreflex, sympathetic chemoreflex, cerebral vascular tone, and the sympatho-excitation seen following hypercapnoea. A further model for the somato-sympathetic reflex is proposed, providing a mechanism for the selective inhibition of this reflex seen with hypercapnoea (chapter 3) and RVLM neurokinin-1 receptor activation (chapter 5). In summary, the ventral medulla is essential for the generation of basal sympathetic tone and the integration of many vital autonomic reflexes such as the baroreflex, chemoreflex, somato-sympathetic reflex, and the regulation of cerebral blood flow. The tachykinin substance P, and its receptor, the neurokinin-1 receptor, have a role to play in many of these vital autonomic functions. This role is predominantly neuromodulatory.

We investigated the role of muscarinic receptor subtypes at the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), the medullary origin of sympathetic neurogenic vasomotor tone, in mevinphos (Mev) intoxication. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized by pentobarbital (45 mg/kg) and maintained by propofol (30 mg/kg/h) were used. Co-microinjection bilaterally of Mev (10 nmol) and artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) into the RVLM resulted in an increase (Phase I) followed by a decrease (Phase II) in the power density of the vasomotor components of systemic arterial pressure spectrum, our experimental index for sympathetic vasomotor tone. These changes in sympathetic vasomotor outflow in both phases of Mev intoxication were significantly and dose-dependently reduced on co-microinjection of Mev and the M2 subtype of muscarinic receptor (M2R) antagonist methoctramine (0.5 or 1 nmol) or M4R antagonist tropicamide (0.5 or 1 nmol). On the other hand, the M1R antagonist pirenzepine (0.5 or 1 nmol) or M3R antagonist 4-DAMP (0.5 or 1 nmol) was ineffective. Western blot analysis further revealed that the increase in NOS I protein levels at the RVLM during Phase I Mev intoxication or the augmented level of NOS II during both phases were significantly blunted on co-microinjection bilaterally of Mev and methoctramine (1 nmol) or tropicamide (1 nmol) into the RVLM. Pirenzepine (1 nmol) or 4-DMAP (1 nmol) was again ineffective. We conclude that both M2R and M4R subtypes in the RVLM may be involved in Mev intoxication. Whereas the prevalence of NOS I over NOS II at the RVLM during Phase I results in sympathoexcitation, sympathoinhibition induced by NO from NOS II in the RVLM is primarily involved in Phase II Mev intoxication.

published_or_final_version / Physiology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Physiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy