Fig. 3.

Optogenetic stimulation of RVLM astrocytes evokes sympathoexcitation in vivo. a Unilateral optogenetic stimulation of RVLM astrocytes expressing ChR2 increases sympathetic nerve activity and arterial blood pressure in anaesthetised and artificially ventilated rat. ABP arterial blood pressure, IRSNA integrated renal sympathetic nerve activity, RSNA renal sympathetic nerve activity. Inset microphotograph depicts an example of a tyrosine hydroxylase (red immunofluorescence)-expressing C1 neurone embraced by astrocytic processes expressing ChR2-Venus (green fluorescence). b Summary data illustrating the effect of optogenetic stimulation of RVLM astrocytes on mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and RSNA. Group data are shown as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05