Nerve projection and property from cerebellar interposed nucleus to hypothalamus

Objective:To explore the nerve projection and property from cerebellar interposed nucleus(IN) to hypothalamus in rats and so as to provide more information for immunomodulation mediated by cerebello-hypothalamic pathway.Methods:The iontophoresis of Dextran-Texas Red,neuronal anterograde tracer,was used to observe the existence and routes of nerve projection from cerebellar IN to hypothalamus.The iontophoresis of Fluoro-Ruby,neuronal retrograde tracer,was used to trace neurons projecting to hypothalamus in cerebellar IN.Immumofluorescence method of double labelling staining was used to identify the neurotransmitters of cerebellar IN projecting to hypothalamus.Results:It was observed that projections from IN to hypothalamus passed through the superior cerebellar peduncle,crossed in its decussation and then many of them entered posterior hypothalamic area(PH) by iontophoresis of Dextran-Texas Red to cerebellar IN.Using the methods of iontophoresis of Fluoro-Ruby and double labelling staining,it was also observed that the neurons projecting to PH in cerebellar IN were glutamatergic neurons.Conclusions:There are direct fibers from cerebellar IN to hypothalamus,and some of them are glutamatergic.