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Biomedical subjects

D C Rogers

Publications and source records attributed to D C Rogers.

71 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The innervation and fine structure of paraneuronic cells in an amphibian pulmonary artery.

The pulmonary artery of Bufo marinus contains large numbers of bipolar cells situated in the tunica adventitia and in the outer layers of the media. These cells show a bright green-yellow fluorescence (emission spectra 485 nm) after formaldehyde pre-treatment suggesting that they contain a primary monoamine. The most characteristic fine-structural feature of these cells is the presence of numerous dense-cored vesicles (80--300 nm diameter) in their cytopalsm. The cells are in close contact (20 nm gap) with both agranular and granular nerve fibres. Both EM-cytochemical and formaldehyde-induced fluorescence tests indicate that the granule-containing nerve fibres are adrenergic. The agranular nerve fibres form discrete synaptic contacts with pre and post-synaptic membrane thickenings on the cells. This was never observed with respect to the adrenergic fibres. Each process of the cells is about 45 micrometer long. The processes do not bear any special relationship to either vessels of the arterial vasa vasorum or medial smooth muscle cells. Their location in the wall of the artery suggests that they are functionally significant with respect to activity of the arterial media.

Animals↗

Fine structural and cytochemical study of the innervation of smooth muscle in an amphibian (Bufo marinus) lung before and after denervation.

The innervation of the toad (Bufo marinus) lung was studied with transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence techniques, both before and after 12 or 20 days close vagosympathetic denervation. Four cytologically distinct types of neuronal processes were recognised, in relation to the visceral muscles of the lung. These were described as cholinergic, adrenergic, non-adrenergic/non-cholinergic (NANC) and sensory on the basis of the characteristics of their vesicular content and cytochemical reactions. An apparent efferent innervation of visceral smooth muscle was achieved by NANC (50%), cholinergic (25%) and adrenergic (25%) fibres. A few sensory fibres were also present. After denervation only NANC fibres persisted, showing that the cell bodies of these fibres were intrapulmonary. The vascular smooth muscle was supplied by cholinergic, adrenergic and sensory fibres. In the walls of the proximal branches of the pulmonary artery were fibres containing large dense-cored vesicles. These profiles, which were associated with the vasa vasorum, were similar to neurosecretory fibres. After denervation all neural profiles associated with the vasculature had degenerated. The observations suggest that vagal vasodepressor effects in the toad lung are mediated indirectly through relaxation of visceral muscle strands which in their contracted state compress vascular channels.

Adrenergic Fibers↗

Changes in the physiology and fine structure of the taenia of the guinea-pig caecum following transplantation into the anterior eye chamber.

1. The taenia of the guinea-pig caecum has been used as a model to study the re-establishment of autonomic innervation following transplantation into the anterior eye chamber. The ultrastructure, the histochemical localization of noradrenaline and acetylcholinesterase and the pharmacology of transmission to the taenia have been examined 1 day to 16 weeks following transplantation. Both ganglion-free strips of the taenia and caecal wall segments including the underlying Auerbach's plexus were used.2. Caecal wall preparations: nerve fibres from intramural ganglion cells retracted during the first 2 days following transplantation, but reappeared in the muscle soon afterwards. Adrenergic nerves from the iris formed terminals about ganglion cells at about 2-4 weeks. Both cholinergic excitatory and non-adrenergic (;purinergic') inhibitory transmission to the muscle was re-established by 2-4 days following transplantation.3. Taenia strip preparations: both adrenergic and cholinergic nerve fibres were demonstrated histochemically in muscle bundles by 2-4 weeks. Non-adrenergic inhibitory and cholinergic transmission was not re-established until 2-4 weeks following transplantation. There was an abnormally dense re-innervation of the muscle by adrenergic nerve fibres by about 8 weeks which is compared with the innervation of aganglionic bowel in Hirschsprung's disease.4. The origin of non-adrenergic inhibitory responses in the transplanted taenia is discussed and the results considered in relation to the re-innervation of transplants of the vas deferens and of intestine during early development.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

A study of the innervation of the taenia coli.

An electrophysiological and anatomical study of the guinea pig taenia coli is reported. Changing the membrane potential of single cells cannot modulate the rate of firing action potentials but does reveal electrical coupling between the cells during propagation. The amplitude of the junction potentials which occur during transmission from inhibitory nerves is unaffected in many cells during alteration of the membrane potential, indicating electrical coupling during transmission. The taenia coli is shown to consist of smooth muscle bundles which anastomose. There are tight junctions between the cells in the bundles, and these probably provide the pathway for the electrical coupling. The smooth muscle cells towards the serosal surface of the taenia coli are shown electrophysiologically to have an extensive intramural inhibitory innervation, but a sparse sympathetic inhibitory and cholinergic excitatory innervation. These results are in accordance with the distribution of these nerves as determined histochemically. As single axons are only rarely observed in the taenia coli, it is suggested that the only muscle cells which undergo permeability changes during transmission are those adjacent to varicosities in the nerve bundles. The remaining muscle cells then undergo potential changes during transmission because of electrical coupling through the tight junctions.

Action Potentials↗