The carotid body connections: a WGA-HRP study in the cat.

Previous neuroanatomical studies described the central representation of the carotid sinus nerve, but did not differentiate the projections of the baroreceptors from the chemoreceptors present in the carotid bifurcation. In this research we investigated the individual territories occupied by the primary afferents from the carotid body in the brainstem of the cat. We also studied the distribution of afferent and efferent neurons to the carotid body. We injected into the carotid body lectin coupled to horseradish peroxidase. We found labeled axons only in the nucleus of the tractus solitarius; in particular, we found strong projections to the following ipsilateral subnuclei: dorsal, interstitial, and medial part of the commissural subnucleus. Moderate labeling was found in the ipsilateral medial and intermediate subnuclei and in the contralateral dorsal subnucleus and the medial region of the commissural subnucleus. We found a mean of 256 +/- 79 (S.E.M.) labeled afferent ganglion cells in the petrosal ganglia, and no evidence of efferent neurons in the brainstem that innervate the carotid body; conversely, about 4000 efferent neurons of the superior cervical ganglion send terminals to the ipsilateral carotid body.