Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “innervation”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

The innervation of the adrenal gland. IV. Innervation of the rat adrenal medulla from birth to old age. A descriptive and quantitative morphometric and biochemical study of the innervation of chromaffin cells and adrenal medullary neurons in Wistar rats.

The innervation of the adrenal medulla has been investigated in normal Wistar rats from birth to old age and ultrastructural findings compared with biochemical markers of the cholinergic innervation of the adrenal gland and catecholamine storage. Morphological evidence of the immaturity of the innervation during the first postnatal week is provided and using quantitative morphometry the innervation of chromaffin cells is shown to reach a mean total of 5.4 synapses per chromaffin cell during the period 26 days to 12 weeks of age. The variation in contents of synaptic profiles is discussed in the light of recent work that demonstrates a major sensory as well as visceral efferent innervation of the gland. Adrenal medullary neurons usually occur in closely packed groups, intimately associated with Schwann cells. Axodendritic and axosomatic synapses on these neurons are described and the likely origin of axonal processes innervating the neurons discussed. In old age the density of innervation remains the same as in young adult animals even though the medulla shows evidence of hyperplasia and hypertrophy of individual chromaffin cells.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1992

Organization of the serotonergic innervation of spinal neurons in rats--I. Neuropeptide coexistence in varicosities innervating some spinothalamic tract neurons but not in those innervating postsynaptic dorsal column neurons.

Previous studies have suggested that peptides such as substance P and thyrotropin-releasing hormone coexist with serotonin in the same varicosities in the ventral horn and intermediate gray of the spinal cord in rat. However, coexistence of these peptides with serotonin is rare in fibers in the superficial dorsal horn. Since it has been proposed that serotonergic fibers in the superficial dorsal horn act to modulate nociception, it was hypothesized that the serotonergic neurons that contain neither substance P nor thyrotropin-releasing hormone might constitute a specifically antinociceptive subset of serotonergic neurons. This being the case, it would be expected that different types of serotonergic neurons innervate nociceptive and non-nociceptive spinal neurons. In order to test this hypothesis, a group of cells that include nociceptive neurons (spinothalamic tract neurons) and a group of predominantly non-nociceptive neurons (postsynaptic dorsal column neurons) in the spinal cord of rat were retrogradely labeled. Sections of the spinal cord containing retrogradely labeled spinothalamic tract or postsynaptic dorsal column neurons were stained for serotonin and either substance P or thyrotropin-releasing hormone using two-color immunohistochemistry. A retrogradely labeled cell was classified as "apposed" if there was no discernible distance between an immunohistochemically labeled varicosity and the cell. Eighty per cent of spinothalamic tract and 83% of postsynaptic dorsal column profiles were apposed by serotonin-immunoreactive varicosities in the spinal cord. Thirty-one per cent of the spinothalamic tract profiles that were apposed by serotonergic varicosities were apposed by serotonergic varicosities that were also stained for thyrotropin-releasing hormone. The distribution of the latter spinothalamic neurons was similar to that reported for spinothalamic tract neurons responsive to joint movement. In addition, at least 63% of the spinothalamic tract profiles which were apposed by serotonergic varicosities were apposed by "serotonin-only" varicosities, including most spinothalamic tract neurons in the marginal zone, suggesting that at least some "serotonin-only" neurons are antinociceptive. However, contrary to the hypothesis, at least 94% of the postsynaptic dorsal column profiles apposed by serotonergic varicosities were apposed by "serotonin-only" varicosities. These findings suggest that there may be a relationship between the sensory modality to which a spinal neuron responds and the type of serotonergic innervation it receives. However, it appears that "serotonin-only" neurons may not constitute a specifically antinociceptive category of serotonergic neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Developmental interactions between sweat glands and the sympathetic neurons which innervate them: effects of delayed innervation on neurotransmitter plasticity and gland maturation.

The neurotransmitter properties of the sympathetic innervation of sweat glands in rat footpads have previously been shown to undergo a striking change during development. When axons first reach the developing glands, they contain catecholamine histofluorescence and immunoreactivity for catecholamine synthetic enzymes. As the glands and their innervation mature, catecholamines disappear and cholinergic and peptidergic properties appear. Final maturation of the sweat glands, assayed by secretory competence, is correlated temporally with the development of cholinergic function in the innervation. To determine if the neurotransmitter phenotype of sympathetic neurons developing in vivo is plastic, if sympathetic targets can play a role in determining neurotransmitter properties of the neurons which innervate them, and if gland maturation is dependent upon its innervation, the normal developmental interaction between sweat glands and their innervation was disrupted. This was accomplished by a single injection of 6-hydroxy-dopamine (6-OHDA) on Postnatal Day 2. Following this treatment, the arrival of noradrenergic sympathetic axons at the developing glands was delayed 7 to 10 days. Like the gland innervation of normal rats, the axons which innervated the sweat glands of 6-OHDA-treated animals acquired cholinergic function and their expression of endogenous catecholamines declined. The change in neurotransmitter properties, however, occurred later in development than in untreated animals and was not always complete. Even in adult animals, some fibers continued to express endogenous catecholamines and many nerve terminals contained a small proportion of small granular vesicles after permanganate fixation. The gland innervation in the 6-OHDA-treated animals also differed from that of normal rats in that immunoreactivity for VIP was not expressed in the majority of glands. It seems likely that following treatment with 6-OHDA sweat glands were innervated both by neurons that would normally have done so and by neurons that would normally have innervated other, noradrenergic targets in the footpads, such as blood vessels. Contact with sweat glands, therefore, appears to suppress noradrenergic function and induce cholinergic function not only in the neurons which normally innervate the glands but also in neurons which ordinarily innervate other targets. Effects of delayed innervation were also observed on target development. The appearance of sensitivity to cholinergic agonists by the sweat glands was coupled with the onset of cholinergic transmission.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Age Factors↗
PubMed1986

A comparative light microscopic analysis of the sensory innervation of the mystacial pad. I. Innervation of vibrissal follicle-sinus complexes.

This comparative study was conducted to provide a detailed, comprehensive description of the innervation to the follicle-sinus complex (F-SC) of mystacial vibrissae and to determine if interspecies variability in the innervation of the F-SCs may be related to differences in the structure or existence of barrels in the primary somatosensory (SI) cortex. Two silver techniques (Winkelmann on 100 micron-thick-frozen sections and Sevier-Munger on 8 micron-thick paraffin sections) were applied to comparable mystacial skin samples from adult hamsters, mice, rats, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs and cats. The basic structure and innervation of the F-SCs is the same in all species. Six distinct populations of sensory receptors are identified at consistent locations: Merkel endings in the epidermal rete ridge collar at the mouth of the follicle; circularly disposed presumptive lanceolate, Ruffini, and free nerve endings (FNE) in the inner conical body; longitudinal lanceolate endings in a dense palisade in the mesenchymal sheath at the level of the ring sinus; Merkel endings in the external root sheath at the level of the ring sinus; scattered corpuscular and FNEs (possibly lanceolate or Ruffini endings) in the cavernous sinus; and a few FNEs in the dermal papilla. In each F-SC, the first two locations are supplied by several superficial vibrissal nerves that arise from several small nerves that also innervate the skin between the vibrissae. These superficial nerves may innervate more than one F-SC. The next three locations are supplied by a single large deep vibrissal nerve that is derived directly from a row fascicle of the infraorbital nerve. Each deep nerve innervates a single F-SC. The source of the papilla innervation was not found. The ring sinus locations are consistently the most heavily innervated in all species. The number of axons in comparable deep vibrissal nerves is similar among the rodents, higher in the cat, and lower in the rabbit. Innervation of the inner conical body varies considerably, being dense in species that vigorously whisk their vibrissae (hamster, mouse, rat, and gerbil) and sparse or absent in species that minimally or never whisk (guinea pig, rabbit, and cat). Innervation to the cavernous sinus is sparse particularly in hamsters and gerbils. The innervation to the rete ridge is uniquely absent in the rabbit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Multiple innervation of normal and re-innervated parasympathetic neurones in the frog cardiac ganglion.

1. Multiple innervation of parasympathetic neurones was examined in normal and re-innervated frog cardiac ganglia. The number of synaptic inputs impinging upon individual ganglion cells was determined by recording intracellularly and stimulating the vagosympathetic nerves. 2. In unoperated cardiac ganglia most neurones (93%) received a large, suprathreshold synaptic input. Some ganglion cells received additional, small synaptic inputs. Roughly equal numbers of cells encountered were singly and doubly innervated, and only 8% received more than two inputs. 3. Re-innervation of cardiac ganglion cells began three weeks after bilateral crush of the vagosympathetic nerves. By 7 weeks more than 90% of the ganglion cells were re-innervated. At this stage the pattern of multiple innervation was significantly different than normal: doubly innervated neurones outnumbered singly innervated ones, and 31% of the cells encountered received more than two inputs. This pattern was stable for at least a year. 4. These results indicate that polyneuronal innervation of cardiac ganglion cells is more widespread after re-innervation than it is normally and, furthermore, that synapse elimination does not occur during re-innervation of these cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

The innervation of the pyloric region of the crab, Cancer borealis: homologous muscles in decapod species are differently innervated.

The muscles of the pyloric region of the stomach of the crab, Cancer borealis, are innervated by motorneurons found in the stomatogastric ganglion (STG). Electrophysiological recording and stimulating techniques were used to study the detailed pattern of innervation of the pyloric region muscles. Although there are two Pyloric Dilator (PD) motorneurons in lobsters, previous work reported four PD motorneurons in the crab STG (Dando et al. 1974; Hermann 1979a, b). We now find that only two of the crab PD neurons innervate muscles homologous to those innervated by the PD neurons in the lobster, Panulirus interruptus. The remaining two PD neurons innervate muscles that are innervated by pyloric (PY) neurons in P. interruptus. The innervation patterns of the Lateral Pyloric (LP), Ventricular Dilator (VD), Inferior Cardiac (IC), and PY neurons were also determined and compared with those previously reported in lobsters. Responses of the muscles of the pyloric region to the neurotransmitters, acetylcholine (ACh) and glutamate, were determined by application of exogenous cholinergic agonists and glutamate. The effect of the cholinergic antagonist, curare, on the amplitude of the excitatory junctional potentials (EJPs) evoked by stimulation of the pyloric motor nerves was measured. These experiments suggest that the differences in innervation pattern of the pyloric muscles seen in crab and lobsters are also associated with a change in the neurotransmitter active on these muscles. Possible implications of these findings for phylogenetic relations of decapod crustaceans and for the evolution of neural circuits are discussed.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1973

The maturation of neuromuscular function in a multiply innervated structure: development of the longitudinal smooth muscle of the foetal mammalian gut and its cholinergic excitatory, adrenergic inhibitory, and non-adrenergic inhibitory innervation.

1. The earliest components of the developing innervation of the rabbit intestine to be detected in this study were the cholinergic excitatory and the intrinsic inhibitory innervation. These developed simultaneously in the rabbit at 17 days of gestation. Both were also present in the mouse by the 16th day of gestation. Responsiveness of rabbit tissue to exogenous acetylcholine appeared together with the advent of a functional cholinergic innervation. Since excitatory responses were potentiated by eserine, the tissue was probably able to inactivate acetylcholine through hydrolysis mediated by cholinesterase. Early relaxant responses resisted blockade by adrenergic neurone blocking agents and by antagonists active at alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors.2. The development of the adrenergic innervation lagged far behind that of the other two components. Specific uptake of noradrenaline in the rabbit was detected for the first time at the 21st day of gestation and stores of noradrenaline could not be detected histochemically until 26-28 days. However, relaxant responses to stimulation of the perivascular sympathetic supply, such as characterize adult tissues, had not yet developed by the time of birth. Relaxation in response to perivascular stimulation could be seen 30 days after birth.3. Morphologic studies indicated that the longitudinal layer of smooth muscle was very primitive when an effective innervation was established. Although contractile, the cells were still myoblasts. Neural elements also appeared primitive. Thus considerable morphological maturation follows the development both of a functioning contractile machinery and innervation in the foetal gut.4. This study helps establish that the intrinsic inhibitory innervation of the gut is not adrenergic.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1987

Sensory innervation of the raccoon forepaw: 3. Cutaneous domains and organization of nerves innervating the raccoon forepaw.

This report summarizes single-fiber and multifiber data from the median, ulnar, dorsal ulnar, and superficial radial nerves innervating the raccoon forepaw with respect to the cutaneous domains innervated by each nerve. The median nerve was found to innervate the ventral surface of the first four digits and the radial two-thirds of the palm. Its innervation extended onto digit 5 in some animals. The palmar branch of the ulnar nerve innervated digits 4 and 5 and the ulnar half of the palm. The superficial radial nerve innervated the dorsal surface of the first four digits and the radial two-thirds of the forepaw, whereas the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve innervated the ulnar half of the paw and digits 4 and 5. Overlap of adjacent nerves was verified in several cases by recording from two nerves in the same animal. The domains of the ventral and dorsal nerves overlapped at the borders of glabrous and hairy skin, particularly around the claws. Fiber types were not strictly grouped within particular fascicles according to either spatial or functional characteristics. However, there was a tendency toward overrepresentation of different modality and submodality types in different fascicles. The relevance of the overlap zones and autonomous zones of these nerves to experiments on central effects of peripheral nerve injury is discussed.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1988

Asynchronous regulation of muscle specific isozymes of creatine kinase, glycogen phosphorylase, lactic dehydrogenase and phosphoglycerate mutase in innervated and non-innervated cultured human muscle.

Expression of muscle specific isozymes (MSIs) of creatine kinase (CK, EC 2.7.3.2), glycogen phosphorylase (GP, EC 2.4.1.1), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, EC 1.1.1.27) and phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM, EC 2.7.5.3) was studied both in cultured human muscle fibers which had been innervated (InnCHMFs) for 20-83 days, and in their non-innervated (non-InnCHMFs) sister control. In non-InnCHMFs, the MSI of PGAM was never detected, and there was no change in the expression of the MSI of CK during the entire period examined; the expression of MSIs of LDH and GP showed linear increase during the entire period of growth. The expression of MSIs of all 4 enzymes was significantly enhanced in InnCHMFs as compared to non-innervated control. The expression of MSIs of GP and PGAM, and to a lesser degree of LDH increased significantly in correlation with the duration of innervation; the MSI of CK increased linearly only up to 54 days of innervation and plateaued afterward. This study demonstrates: (1) innervation of cultured human muscle fibers by fetal rat spinal cord exerts a time-related maturational influence on their cellular isoenzymatic pattern; (2) to achieve induction and characteristic time-related expression of various MSIs, the requirements for neuronal influences seem to differ.

Bisphosphoglycerate Mutase↗
PubMed1987

Innervation of rat molar teeth: II. A quantitative analysis of primary sensory neurons innervating a mandibular molar tooth.

This study was conducted to determine the source and number of primary sensory neurons (PSNs) innervating a mandibular molar tooth of a population of 15-18-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. The pulpal tissue was exposed to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) pellets for 24 hours. Subsequently the animals were perfusion fixed and the following PSN structures were examined for the presence of HRP-labelled cells: trigeminal (TGs) and cervical dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) and mesencephalic nucleus (MN). Only the TGs contained labelled cells and they thus were the sole source of PSN pulpal innervation. The number of TG cells was highly variable, 49-407, but most of this variability was attributable to insufficient HRP filling of the pulp chamber or leakage of HRP into periapical tissue. Selection of TGs whose respective experimental teeth demonstrated that HRP filled and was restricted to the pulp chamber revealed a narrower range of TG cells providing pulpal innervation to the first molars, 142-288, with an average of 213. A detailed mapping of these cells indicated a somatotopic distribution within the mandibular territory of the TGs. It was concluded that these findings represent TG's contribution to the pulpal innervation of this specific population of rat first molar teeth. This suggests that from animal to animal the density of innervation may be quite variable and it is hypothesized that the sensitivity of the pulp would likewise vary. In addition, these findings may contribute to the explanation of why there is variability in the stimulus strength needed to elicit a pain response in the human dentition.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Noradrenergic sympathetic innervation of the spleen: III. Development of innervation in the rat spleen.

The ontogeny of noradrenergic innervation and its compartmental development were studied in the rat spleen using glyoxylic acid histofluorescence and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Noradrenergic nerves were present at birth in bundles adjacent to the splenic artery and vein. On days 1-3, fluorescent profiles largely were associated with the vasculature and with the perivascular zone. By day 6, these fibers formed increasingly elaborate and tortuous plexuses around the central arteries and their branches. By day 10, fibers were present along the marginal sinus and extended into the developing marginal zone. Between day 10 and day 13 the largest increase in norepinephrine (NE) levels (per mg protein) were noted, and the periarteriolar lymphatic sheath (PALS) achieved its adult form, with increased innervation of the parenchyma. In contrast, the venous/trabecular system developed relatively late. The first trabecular fibers were evident at day 10, and the capsule was not innervated until day 13. From 13 days to adulthood, there was a gradual refinement and extension of existing patterns with no change in NE levels as measured by HPLC (per mg protein), suggesting that the innervation was keeping pace with rapid increases in spleen growth. The pattern of growth and development for noradrenergic nerves in the PALS remarkably parallels changes in T cell compartmentation during this period. We propose that norepinephrine is available for interaction with T cells at the earliest stages of development and could play a role in such processes as lymphocyte packing and the onset of immunocompetence.

Aging↗
PubMed1987

Noradrenergic sympathetic innervation of the spleen: V. Acute drug-induced depletion of lymphocytes in the target fields of innervation results in redistribution of noradrenergic fibers but maintenance of compartmentation.

Sympathetic noradrenergic fibers follow the vasculature into the white pulp of the spleen and branch from the periarteriolar plexuses into T lymphocyte zones. These lymphocytes, reported to express adrenergic receptors, are contacted directly by norepinephrine (NE) terminals and are putative targets of the locally released NE. Although this splenic innervation has been studied extensively, the functional interdependence of the lymphocytes and the sympathetic innervation is not well understood. To assess the effect of acute lymphocyte loss on the splenic innervation, T and B lymphocytes were depleted through treatment with cyclophosphamide (CY) or hydrocortisone acetate (HC). Despite reductions in spleen weight and cellularity, the total NE content (pmol) per spleen did not change. However, the NE concentration increased in the treated spleens. Although the general compartmental organization of the noradrenergic fibers in the treated spleens was similar to that of controls, the NE fibers redistributed and increased in density around the smaller central arteries in lymphocyte depleted spleens. The accommodation of these NE fibers to the changing environment of the white pulp suggests that the innervation to the spleen remains chemically stable despite a large disruption to the normal splenic milieu, but is capable of plasticity in the face of a shrinking white pulp.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Multifocal innervation and muscle length. A morphological study on the role of myo-myonal junctions, fiber branching and multiple innervation in muscles of different size and shape.

The dependence of the inner organisation and innervation of a skeletal muscle on its size was studied at the level of single muscle fiber architecture and motor endplate topography in muscles of different size, all of them lacking a tendinous scaffolding. The muscles evaluated in this study were: Mm. sternomastoideus, gracilis and latissimus dorsi of the rat and the M. sternocephalicus of the horse. In these muscles a subdivision into two or more 'innervation-compartments' becomes obvious in fascicles reaching a certain length. This provides the possibility of an almost synchronous activation of the entire muscle by its nerve. At the level of single muscle fiber elements, large numbers of myo-myonal junctions were discernible in many sites. However, unequivocal multiple innervation was found, with several end-plates per single muscle fiber, without the interposition of any junctional structure. Myo-myonal junctions, combined with a characteristic branching pattern of many muscle fibers, and scattered innervation sites, obviously play an important role in the architecture of fan-like muscles lacking a tendinous scaffolding.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Prostacyclin producing activity of human umbilical blood vessels in adrenergic innervated and non-innervated portions.

The present experiment was performed in order to clarify the significance of prostacyclin (PGI2) in the regulation of human umbilical blood flow. Distribution of adrenergic nerve fibers in umbilical cord was examined by means of a modification of the glyoxylic acid fluorescence histochemical technique. PGI2 producing activity in various portions of umbilical blood vessels was measured by platelet bioassay. Adrenergic nerve fibers were observed only in the region surrounding umbilical arteries at the fetal end of the cord. PGI2 producing activity of umbilical arteries was significantly lower in the innervated region than in the non-innervated region. There were no significant regional differences in umbilical vein which has no adrenergic innervation. The relationship between vascular PGI2 producing activity and adrenergic innervation, and the significance of PGI2 in the regulation of human umbilical blood flow are discussed.

Adrenergic Fibers↗
PubMed1989

Noradrenaline (gamma) and ATP responses of innervated and non-innervated rat cerebral arteries.

1. The distribution of sympathetic adrenergic nerves on the rat middle cerebral artery and on the arterioles which originated from it was determined by use of gloxylic histochemistry. 2. Whereas the middle cerebral artery and proximal arterioles arising from this artery received a sympathetic innervation, the distal regions of the same arterioles were devoid of innervation. 3. The arteries and arterioles which were innervated were depolarized by noradrenaline in the combined presence of alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. Those which were not innervated were not depolarized by noradrenaline. 4. ATP depolarized all arteries and arterioles examined. 5. These observations are discussed with respect to the similarities and differences between gamma-adrenoceptors and P2 purinoceptors.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1987

A histochemical study of the adrenergic innervation of the rat pineal gland: evidence for overlap of the innervation from the two superior cervical ganglia and for sprouting following unilateral denervation.

The rat pineal gland receives sympathetic innervation, via the right and left internal carotid nerves, from neurons whose cell bodies are located in the two superior cervical ganglia. Using fluorescence microscopy, we have examined the density and distribution of fluorescent profiles in the pineal gland after lesioning of the internal carotid nerves. Thirty-two hours after sectioning both internal carotid nerves, the density of the fluorescent profiles was 3% of that seen in sham-operated controls, indicating that the lesioned fibers had degenerated. Thirty-two hours after sectioning one internal carotid nerve, the density of the processes was decreased to approximately 50% of the control value. The magnitude of the decrease following a unilateral lesion was similar on both the right and left halves of the gland. Thus, the results suggest that each internal carotid nerve innervates both sides of the pineal gland. The implications of this overlap in the innervation from the two internal carotid nerves for recovery of pineal function after a unilateral lesion are discussed. Sections of pineal glands were also analyzed at later time points after a unilateral lesion. Two weeks after cutting one internal carotid nerve, the density of the fluorescent profiles had increased to greater than 80% of the control value. When the contralateral internal carotid nerve was cut 2 weeks after a unilateral lesion and the pineal gland was examined 32 h later, the density of the fluorescent profiles had decreased to 2% of the sham value. This suggests that all of the compensatory increase in adrenergic processes that takes place following the unilateral lesion is due to sprouting of the contralateral internal carotid nerve rather than to regeneration of the lesioned internal carotid nerve or to sprouting and ingrowth of other adrenergic neurons. It remains to be determined what, if any, functional significance this sprouting has, since the neurally dependent circadian rhythm in serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity in the pineal gland is restored to normal within 32 h after a unilateral lesion; that is, before significant sprouting has occurred.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1989

Innervation of the spleen in the rat: evidence for absence of afferent innervation.

Catecholaminergic fibers in the spleen have been well characterized in the rat and this innervation is believed to be an important source of modulation of the immune system. The presence or role of afferent feedback from the spleen has not been systematically investigated. We have examined whether the spleen receives afferent innervation from sensory ganglia and also have assessed the sources of efferent innervation to the spleen in the rat. The fluorescent retrograde anatomical tracers fluoro-gold (FGo) or fast blue (FB) were injected into the spleens of adult female rats and dorsal root, sympathetic chain, nodose, and celiac-mesenteric plexus ganglia were collected. In additional animals, the spleen was either injected with the anatomical tracer wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) or else regular HRP was applied to the cut end of the splenic nerve. Also, we examined the effects of cutting the splenic nerve on the retrograde labeling of cell bodies in the ganglia and on the catecholamine histochemistry of the spleen. The neuroanatomical results were based primarily upon the tracer FGo and verified that the celiac-mesenteric plexus ganglia provide a major efferent input to the spleen. Furthermore, lower thoracic sympathetic chain ganglia provide an additional and substantial efferent supply to the spleen. Cutting of the splenic nerve prevented retrograde labeling of cell bodies in the celiac-mesenteric plexus ganglia and sympathetic chain ganglia of rats injected with tracers into the spleen and also eliminated catecholamine histofluorescence in the spleen. In terms of afferent labeling, the results with FGo indicated that there were no cell bodies labeled in afferent ganglia following splenic injections.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amidines↗
PubMed1988

Cerebral arterial innervation by nerve fibers containing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP): I. Distribution and origin of CGRP perivascular innervation in the rat.

The origin, density and distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity in cerebral perivascular nerves and the trigeminal ganglion of rats were examined in this study. CGRP immunoreactive axons were abundant on the walls of the rostral circulation of the major cerebral arteries in the circle of Willis. The fibers form a grid- or meshwork of longitudinal and circumferential axons studded with numerous varicose swellings. The density of CGRP fibers was particularly high at the bifurcation of major arteries. A few CGRP fibers cross the midline to innervate arteries on the contralateral side of the arterial tree. The arteries of the caudal circulation were sparsely innervated by CGRP fibers. In the trigeminal ganglion, about 30% of the ganglion cells had CGRP immunoreactivity. The cell size of most (75%) of CGRP neurons was less than 30 micron in diameter. There was no significant difference in staining density between small and large CGRP neurons. Unilateral transection of the maxillary and mandibular divisions of the trigeminal nerve caused a substantial decrease of CGRP immunoreactivity in the ipsilateral dorsal two-thirds of the trigeminal nucleus and cervical spinal cord but did not noticeably change the diameter of the vascular lumen or the densities of CGRP fibers in the walls of the cerebral arteries. In contrast, unilateral transection that included the ophthalmic division eliminated CGRP fibers on the ipsilateral cerebral arteries and eliminated CGRP immunoreactivity throughout the trigeminal nucleus in the brainstem and rostral cervical cord. In addition, these lesions caused a significant reduction in the diameter of the denervated arteries. The present study demonstrates that CGRP, a putative neurotransmitter/neuromodulator, is especially abundant in the rostral cerebral circulation and is derived from the ipsilateral ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. In addition, the loss of CGRP perivascular nerves is associated with a reduction of the arterial lumen. This suggests that CGRP is a strong candidate as a nerve-derived trophic factor at trigeminal terminals and provides additional evidence that CGRP is a component in the trigeminovascular system influencing vascular diameter.

Animals↗