Fig. 6: Afferent and efferent connections of aPVTCRF neurons across the brain.
From: A hypothalamic-thalamostriatal circuit that controls approach-avoidance conflict in rats
a Schematic of intra-aPVT microinjection of a viral mix containing AAV-CRF-Cre and AAV-DIO-eYFP for specific labeling of aPVTCRFneurons and their fibers in output regions. b–j Representative micrographs showing the expression of eYFP in b aPVTCRF neurons and their GFP-labeled fibers located in the c dorsolateral subregion of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (dlBNST), d central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), e dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), f suprachiasmatic nucleus of hypothalamus (SCh), g reticular thalamic nucleus (Rt), h ventral subiculum (vSub), and both i the anterior and j the posterior subregions of the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh). Scale bars: 500 μm. This experiment was repeated in three rats with similar results. k Diagram of the viral vector infusions used for monosynaptic retrograde tracing of aPVTCRF neurons. l Representative micrograph of the injection site in aPVT showing the expression of helper virus (red) and rabies virus (green) under the control of AAV-CRF-Cre virus. Scale bar: 200 μm. Inset: High magnification of the same micrograph. Scale bars: 25 µm. m–r Monosynaptic efferents to aPVTCRF neurons identified by the rabies virus, including m prelimbic cortex (PL), n reticular thalamic nucleus (Rt), o median preoptic area (MnPO), p ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), q lateral hypothalamus (LH), and the r dorsomedial and dorsolateral subregions of the periaqueductal gray matter (PAGdm/PAGdl). Scale bars: 100 μm. This experiment was repeated in two rats with similar results. 3V third ventricle, sm stria medullaris, PT paratenial nucleus of thalamus, ic internal capsule, ac anterior commissure, IPAC interstitial nucleus of the posterior limb of the anterior commissure, LA lateral amygdala, BA basal amygdala, op. optic tract, Ent entorhinal cortex, PL prelimbic cortex, IL infralimbic cortex, DP dorsal peduncular cortex, NAcC nucleus accumbens core, cc corpus callosum, LV lateral ventricle, MS medial septum, Arc arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, Op optical tract, f fornix, MRe mammillary recess of the third ventricle, cp cerebral peduncle, Aq cerebral aqueduct, PAGl lateral subregion of the periaqueductal gray matter, PAGvl ventrolateral subregion of the periaqueductal gray matter.
