The gigantocellular nucleus, as the name indicates, is mainly composed of the so called giant neuronal cells.
This nucleus has been known to innervate the caudal hypoglossal nucleus, and
responds to glutamateric stimuli.
The gigantocellular nucleus excites the hypoglossal nucleus, and can play a role in the actions of the said nerve [1].
This nucleus receives connections from the periaqueductal gray, the
paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, central nucleus of the amygdala, lateral hypothalamic area, and
parvocellular reticular nucleus.
Retrograde studies have shown that the deep mesencephalic reticular formation and oral pontine reticular nucleus project to the nucleus gigantocellularis.
The dorsal rostral section of the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis is also involved mediating in expiration (or out-breathing) along with the parvocellular
nucleus.
References
- ^ Yang, CC et al. Excitatory innervation of caudal hypoglossal nucleus from
nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis in the rat. Neuroscience. 1995 Mar;65(2):365-74.
|
Brain: rhombencephalon
(hindbrain) |
| Myelencephalon/medulla |
anterior/ventral: Arcuate nucleus of medulla • Pyramid (Decussation) •
Olivary body • Inferior olivary
nucleus • Anterior median fissure •
Ventral respiratory group
posterior/dorsal: VII,IX,X: Solitary/tract • XII, X: Dorsal • IX,X,XI: Ambiguus •
IX: Inferior salivatory nucleus • Gracile nucleus/Cuneate nucleus/Accessory cuneate nucleus • Area postrema •
Posterior median sulcus • Dorsal respiratory group
raphe/reticular: Sensory decussation • Reticular formation (Gigantocellular nucleus, Parvocellular reticular nucleus, Ventral
reticular nucleus, Lateral reticular nucleus, Paramedian reticular nucleus) • Raphe
nuclei (Obscurus, Magnus, Pallidus)
tracts: Corticospinal tract (Lateral, Anterior) •
Inferior cerebellar peduncle • Olivocerebellar tract • Spinocerebellar
(Dorsal, Ventral) • Spinothalamic tract •
PCML (Posterior external arcuate fibers, Internal
arcuate fibers, Medial lemniscus) • Extrapyramidal (Rubrospinal tract, Vestibulospinal tract, Tectospinal tract)
|
| Metencephalon/pons |
anterior/ventral: Superior olivary nucleus • Basis pontis (Pontine nuclei, Middle cerebellar peduncles)
posterior/dorsal: Pontine tegmentum (Trapezoid body, Superior medullary velum,
Locus ceruleus, MLF,
Vestibulocerebellar tract, V
Principal Spinal &
Motor, VI, VII, VII: Superior salivary nucleus) •
VIII-c (Dorsal, Anterior)/VIII-v (Lateral, Superior, Medial, Inferior)
raphe/reticular: Reticular formation (Caudal pontine reticular nucleus, Oral
pontine reticular nucleus, Tegmental pontine reticular
nucleus, Paramedian pontine reticular formation) •
Median raphe nucleus
Apneustic center • Pneumotaxic
center
|
| Metencephalon/cerebellum |
Vermis •
Flocculus • Arbor
vitae • Cerebellar tonsil • Inferior medullary velum
Molecular layer (Stellate cell, Basket
cell, Parallel fiber) • Purkinje cell layer (Purkinje cell) • Granule cell layer (Golgi cell) •
Mossy fibers • Climbing
fiber
Deep cerebellar nuclei (Dentate,
Emboliform, Globose, Fastigial) |
| Fourth ventricle |
apertures (Median, Lateral) • Rhomboid fossa (Vagal trigone, Hypoglossal trigone, Obex, Sulcus
limitans, Facial colliculus, Medial
eminence) • Lateral recess |
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