SOMATOTOPICAL LOCALIZATION OF THE RUBROSPINAL TRACT IN THE CAT A STUDY WITH THE HRP METHOD / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

HRP was injected into the right side of the cervical or lumbar enlargement ormidthoracic segment of adult cats.Retrogradely labeled cells in the red nucleuswere examined and their somatotopic localization was determined.1.The Rubro-spinal projection was mainly crossed with obvious somatotopiclocalization.The dorsal medial part of the red nucleus projected to the cervicalenlargement.The ventral lateral part of the red nucleus projected to the lumbarenlargement.The neurons between these two parts projected to the thoracic cord.2.In cervical and lumbar injected cases a few labeled cells were found also inthe ipsilateral red nucleus,suggesting a minor ipsilateral rubrospinal projection exist-ed.No ipsilateral labeling was found in the thoracic injection cases.3.The rubrospinal tract could at least project to as low as L 6 segment of thespinal cord.