Visual projections to the pontine nuclei in the rabbit: Orthograde and retrograde tracing studies with WGA‐HRP

Visual projections to the pontine nuclei in the rabbit were examined by means of both orthograde and retrograde tracing of WGA‐HRP. The tectopontine projection was examined following microinjections of WGA‐HRP in the right superior colliculus. The projection to the pontine nuclei is strictly ipsilateral and terminates at middle and caudal levels of the pons. The projection is absent in rostral pontine nuclei. The strongest projection is to the dorsal border of the dorsolateral pontine nuclei and is the only projection seen when the primary injection site is confined to superficial laminae. When the primary injection site also includes intermediate and deep laminae, patches of labelled terminals are also seen within dorsolateral, lateral, peduncular, paramedian, and ventral pontine nuclei as well as in the contralateral nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis.

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