Distribution of motoneurones to the neck muscles, biventer cervicis, splenius and complexus in the cat.

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The distribution of motoneurones to the cat dorsal neck muscles biventer cervicis, splenius and complexus has been examined using the technique of retrograde horseradish peroxidase transport. A comparison was initially made of HRP uptake into motoneurones produced either by injecting HRP solution directly into a single neck muscle or by exposing the cut ends of motor nerves to an HRP solution. The injection of HRP into single neck muscles was found to produce widespread labelling of motoneurones presumably due to diffusion of HRP into adjacent muscles. For the examination of individual motoneurone pools the technique of cut nerve exposure was therefore used. Labelled neck muscle motoneurones ranged from 10-70 mu in diameter, but the majority of cells had diameters which were less than 40 mu. Most cells were located in the ventromedial nucleus and along the medial border of the ventral horn. In these regions there was considerable overlap between the motoneurone pools of the three neck muscles examined. In addition, some splenius motoneurones were located in the nucleus of the spinal accessory nerve. Labelled neck muscle motoneurones were also located in areas not usually considered to contain motoneurones such as the commissural and centrodorsal nuclei and in the ventral commissure.