The tectorecipient zone in the inferior olivary nucleus in the rat

Tecto-olivary and olivocerebellar projections in the rat were investigated in order to identify the tectorecipient zone in the inferior olivary nucleus and to determine whether inferior olivary neurons projecting to the cerebellar tecto-olivo-recipient zones (lobule VII, crus II, lobulus simplex, and paramedian lobule) originate in the different regions within the tectorecipient zone. An electrophysiological method and an axonal transport technique of wheat-germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase were used. The tectorecipient zone was identified in the caudomedial region of the medial accessory olive. Neurons projecting to lobule VII originated in the caudomedial region of the tectorecipient zone, but those to crus II, lobulus simplex, and paramedian lobule originated in its rostrolateral region. These observations suggest that there are two independent tecto-olivo-cerebellar systems: 1) superior colliculus--the medial region of the tectorecipient zone--lobule VII--the caudomedial region of the fastigial nucleus; and 2) superior colliculus--the rostralateral region of the tectorecipient region--crus II, lobulus simplex, and paramedian lobule--the dorsolateral protuberance of the fastigial nucleus.