DISTRIBUTION OF PARVALBUMIN IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN THE CAT BRAIN-STEM

We studied the distribution of parvalbumin-immunoreactive cell bodies and fibers in the cat brain stem. A high or moderate density of perika rya containing parvalbumin was observed in the periaqueductal gray, in terpeduncular nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid body, superior and inf erior colliculi, and in the substantia nigra. The nucleus ruber, cunei form nucleus, preolivary nucleus, retrorubral nucleus, paracentral div ision of the tegmental reticular nucleus, central and lateral tegmenta l fields, and the pericentral division of the dorsal tegmental nucleus had the lowest density of immunoreactive cell bodies. Moreover, a hig h or moderate density of parvalbumin immunoreactive processes was visu alized in the nucleus ruber, substantia nigra, superior and inferior c olliculi, periaqueductal gray, nucleus sagulum, cuneiform nucleus, Kol liker-Fuse nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid body, vestibular nuclei, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, and in the lateral reticular nucleu s. Finally, a few immunoreactive fibers were observed in the pontine g ray, nucleus coeruleus, marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, nucleus of the solitary tract, inferior olive, and in the tegmental f ields.