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Updated: Aug 21, 2026
Electrophysiology on Isolated Brainstem-spinal Cord Preparations from Newborn Rodents Allows Neural Respiratory Network Output Recording
Published on: November 19, 2015
[Amphibians as a model system for the investigation of respiratory control development]
Olivier Belzile1, Edith Simard, Roumiana Gulemetova
1Département de Pédiatrie, Université Laval, Centre de recherche, Hôpital Saint-François d'Assise, 10, rue de l'Espinay, Québec, G1L 3L5 Canada.
Insights
Premature infants struggle with respiratory control due to immature systems. Bullfrog models reveal conserved neurobiological principles for respiratory development, offering insights into intermittent breathing and neurotransmitter roles.
Area of Science:
- Neurobiology
- Developmental Biology
- Comparative Physiology
Context:
- Premature infants face significant respiratory challenges due to immature respiratory systems.
- Respiratory instability and apnea are common in vulnerable premature infants, leading to hospitalization.
- Research in respiratory neurobiology is expanding to understand and address these critical issues.
Purpose:
- To review recent advances in respiratory neurobiology research.
- To highlight the utility of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) in vitro brainstem preparation as a model organism.
- To focus on intermittent breathing patterns and neurochemical modulation during respiratory development.
Summary:
- Recent advances enable premature infant survival, but respiratory immaturity remains a major concern.
- Bullfrog brainstem preparations offer technical advantages for studying respiratory neurobiology.
- Basic principles of respiratory control and development are conserved across vertebrates, including bullfrogs and mammals.
- The review emphasizes episodic breathing and the influence of serotonergic and GABAergic systems.
Impact:
- Provides insights into the fundamental mechanisms of respiratory control and development.
- Identifies a valuable animal model for future respiratory neurobiology research.
- Contributes to understanding and potentially improving the care of premature infants with respiratory issues.
Abstract:
Recent medical advances have made it possible for babies to survive premature birth at increasingly earlier developmental stages. This population requires costly and sophisticated medical care to address the problems associated with immaturity of the respiratory system. In addition to pulmonary complications, respiratory instability and apnea reflecting immaturity of the respiratory control system are major causes of hospitalization and morbidity in this highly vulnerable population. These medical concerns, combined with the curiosity of physiologists, have contributed to the expansion of research in respiratory neurobiology. While most researchers working in this field commonly use rodents as an animal model, recent research using in vitro brainstem preparation from bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) have revealed the technical advantages of this animal model, and shown that the basic principles underlying respiratory control and its ontogeny are very similar between these two groups of vertebrates. The present review highlights the recent advances in the area of research with a focus on intermittent (episodic) breathing and the role of serotonergic and GABAergic modulation of respiratory activity during development.
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