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Respiratory and locomotor patterns generated in the fetal rat brain stem-spinal cord in vitro
J J Greer1, J C Smith, J L Feldman
1Department of Kinesiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1527.
Journal of Neurophysiology
|April 1, 1992
Abstract:
An in vitro brain stem-spinal cord preparation from last trimester (E13-E21) fetal rats, which generates rhythmic respiratory and locomotor patterns, is described. These coordinated motor patterns emerge at stages E17-E18. Synchronous rhythmic motor activity, not clearly characterized as respiratory or locomotor, can occur as early as E13. With this preparation, it is now possible to study the ontogenesis of circuits and cellular mechanisms underlying these critical movements.