Distribution of glycine transporter 2 mRNA-containing neurons in relation to glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA-containing neurons in rat medulla

Abstract

We studied the distribution of medullary glycinergic neurons in relation to GABAergic neurons, by using in situ hybridization method for mRNA encoding either glycine transporter 2 (GLYT2) or glutamic acid decarboxylase isoform 67 (GAD67). GLYT2 mRNA-positive (GLYT2+) neurons were distributed widely and clustered in (1) the respiration-related area of the ventrolateral medulla called the Bötzinger complex, (2) the nucleus retroambiguus caudal to the obex or the caudal ventral respiratory group, (3) the spinal trigeminal nucleus, (4) a small area immediately dorsal to the inferior olivary nucleus, and (5) the border zone between the hypoglossal nucleus and the surrounding reticular formation. It was characteristic that in the dorsomedial medulla, GLYT2+ neurons were distributed only sparsely in contrast to dense GAD67+ neurons. Only few GLYT2+ neurons were distributed in the medial and interstitial subnuclei of the nucleus tractus solitarii. In particular virtually no GLYT2+ neurons were found in the area postrema. Furthermore, in the reticular formation and the spinal trigeminal nucleus, GAG67+ neurons tended to be distributed in the area where GLYT2+ neurons were sparse, and vice versa. These results provide useful information for the effort of determining neurotransmitters involved in the medullary neurons.