SOMATOSTATIN IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN ESOPHAGEAL PREMOTOR NEURONS OF THE RAT

Esophageal peristalsis is coordinated by premotor neurons localized to the central subnucleus of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTScen). These premotor neurons project directly to motoneurons within the com pact formation of the nucleus ambiguus (NAc). Somatostatin immunoreact ive terminals have been previously demonstrated encircling motoneurons in the (NAc) (Cunningham, E.T., Jr. and Sawchenko, P.E., J. Neurosci. , 9 (1989) 1668-1682). We combined transsynaptic tracing with pseu dor abies virus and immunohistochemistry to localize somatostatin to premo tor neurons within the NTScen. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.