Effect of endothelin on vasomotor and respiratory neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla in rats

1. We have previously shown that intracisternal administration of endothelin-1 (ET-1) elicited cardiorespiratory responses acting on the ventral surface of the medulla oblongata (VSM) subjacent to the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). In this study, we examined whether vasomotor and respiratory neurons in RVLM participate in above-mentioned responses and whether those neurons respond to direct iontophoretic application of ET-1 and/or an ET-A receptor antagonist, FR139317.