Fig. 4.
Microinjection of N6-sulfophenyl adenosine (SPA) into the pontine reticular formation increased time to resumption of righting following isoflurane anesthesia. (A) The top row outlines the sequence of experimental manipulations and the bottom row reports the time required for each procedure. (B) Filled red circles indicate the location of each microinjection site to the oral (PnO) and caudal (PnC) pontine reticular nuclei, which are part of the pontine reticular formation. Numbers shown at the top right of each drawing correspond to the distance (mm) posterior to bregma. (C) A cresyl-violet stained coronal section of mouse brainstem shows a representative microinjection site (arrow) in the PnO approximately 4 mm posterior to bregma and 0.8 mm lateral to the midline. (D) Time to resumption of righting following isoflurane anesthesia was significantly increased after microinjection of SPA (8.8 pmol/50 nl). Data are from three trials per concentration of SPA. Each concentration of SPA was tested in at least three mice. Asterisk indicates a significant (P < 0.05) difference from saline (vehicle control, 0 pmol SPA).