Conduction of excitation through the superior cervical ganglion during early postnatal development

The action of hexamethonium, D-tubocurarine, phentolamine, and atropine on synaptic transmission in the superior cervical ganglion was studied in the early stage of postnatal development (1–8 days after birth) and in the adult period in cats, rabbits, and rats. Hexamethonium and D-tubocurarine, if injected intravenously or added to the Krebs' solution surrounding the ganglion, were shown to inhibit the conduction of excitation through the ganglion effectively in both newborn and adult animals. No significant difference in the action of phentolamine and atropine on synaptic transmission in the ganglia could be found in these groups of animals. It is concluded that synaptic transmission in sympathetic ganglia is cholinergic in the early stage of postnatal development of animals blind at birth.     

Connections between neurons of sympathetic ganglia and the myenteric nerve plexus of the mammalian colon

By means of retrograde transport of the fluorescent marker primulin the initial part of the sympathetic innervation of the myenteric nervous plexus of the descending colon has been characterized in cats and guinea pigs. When primulin is injected into the myenteric nervous plexus, marked neurons are revealed in the caudal mesenteric ganglion, in the celiac plexus ganglia, in the sympathetic trunk ganglia. The marked nervous populations of the extramural sympathetic ganglia differ in their form, size, number of neurons and their distribution.     

Innervation of dog ciliary ganglion

There are species differences with regard to the composition of the ciliary ganglion. For instance, in rabbits and cats it consists solely of oculomotor nerves and has no sympathetic or sensory innervation. The purpose of this study is to clarify the participation of these nerves in the ciliary ganglion of the dog by histochemical methods. Cholinesterase (ChE) activity was studied by Karnovsky's method and catecholamine fluorescence by the glyoxylic acid method. Furthermore, the origins of the respective nerves were investigated by a serial preparation method, involving unilateral cervical sympathectomy and tracer dye injection in the ganglion. The results obtained were: (1) Ciliary ganglion cells showed intense ChE activity. Oculomotor nerve fibers leading to the ganglion showed moderate ChE activity, while the reaction in the short ciliary nerves was strong. (2) Aminergic nerves were present in the intercellular space of the ciliary ganglion, and bilateral or central innervation was suggested by the results of cervical sympathectomy. (3) Connection between the ciliary and trigeminal ganglia was proved by the dye tracer study. The results show that the ciliary ganglion in dogs is composed of oculomotor, trigeminal and sympathetic nerves.     

Innervation of dog ciliary ganglion

Summary There are species differences with regard to the composition of the ciliary ganglion. For instance, in rabbits and cats it consists solely of oculomotor nerves and has no sympathetic or sensory innervation. The purpose of this study is to clarify the participation of these nerves in the ciliary ganglion of the dog by histochemical methods. Cholinesterase (ChE) activity was studied by Karnovsky's method and catecholamine fluorescence by the glyoxylic acid method. Furthermore, the origins of the respective nerves were investigated by a serial preparation method, involving unilateral cervical sympathectomy and tracer dye injection in the ganglion. The results obtained were: (1) Ciliary ganglion cells showed intense ChE activity. Oculomotor nerve fibers leading to the ganglion showed moderate ChE activity, while the reaction in the short ciliary nerves was strong. (2) Aminergic nerves were present in the intercellular space of the ciliary ganglion, and bilateral or central innervation was suggested by the results of cervical sympathectomy. (3) Connection between the ciliary and trigeminal ganglia was proved by the dye tracer study. The results show that the ciliary ganglion in dogs is composed of oculomotor, trigeminal and sympathetic nerves.     

Catecholamines in adrenergic nerve fibers of the lymph nodes after sympathectomy

Using Falck method in combination with microfluorimetry, catecholamine level in adrenergic nervous fibers has been measured in the canine popliteal lymph nodes, normal and in 12 h, 7, 30, and 90 days after unilateral lumbar sympathectomy. During first 24 h after the operation the level of catecholamines is for certain increased in the nervous fibers of the lymph node of the sympathectomized extremity. In 30 days after the sympathectomy their content drops at the side of the operation and increases in the contralateral extremity. By 3 months the equilibrium of the catecholamine content is restored in the nervous fibers of the lymph nodes in the homo- and contralateral extremities at the level higher than in the control. A conclusion is made that under conditions of unilateral sympathectomy only a partial sympathectomy of the popliteal lymph node is reached. All luminiscent adrenergic nervous fibers of the sympathectomized lymph node are processes of neurons, situating in the contralateral sympathetic trunk, or neurites of cells in sacral nodes, getting their preganglionic fibers from the contralateral trunk. The changes in catecholamine concentrations mentioned are considered as a compensatory reaction, directed to maintenance of general homeostatic equilibrium under conditions, when the nervous system transfers to a new level, ensuring the partly desympathized tissue by mediators.     

Mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of the stellate ganglion on cardiac activity

The mechanisms of cardiac activity inhibition caused by stimulation of the stellate ganglion were studied in acute experiments on 28 dogs and 37 cats and chronic experiments on 12 cats. It was shown that inhibition of cardiac activity is caused by stimulation of the parasympathetic fibers of the vagus, anastomozing with stellate ganglion branches and ingoing as part of these fibers to the heart. The hypothesis of change over of the sympathetic nerve fibers to the intracardial cholinergic neurons and the hypothesis of the cholinergic component in the mechanism of catecholamine release by the sympathetic nerve terminals was not confirmed. Therefore, the known Dale's principle as to that one neuron exerts its efferent effect with the aid of one transmitter is quite just. alpha-Adrenoreceptors does not produce any noticeable effect on cardiac activity.     

The development of sympathetic innervation and the functional state of the cardiovascular system in newborn dogs.

The present study in dogs indicates that the peripheral sympathetic fibers develop mostly after birth and reach a full maturity at about 2 months of life. The norepinephrine content of the heart, spleen, intestine, salivary glands, and adrenal glands increased from birth to 56 days of age. In contrast, the content of the stellate ganglia decreased during this period. In most of the organs studied, the uptake of [3H] norepinephrine developed in parallel with the norepinephrine content, except in the right atrium and salivary glands where it was fully developed soon after birth. During development, the systemic blood pressure increased from 40 to 100 mm Hg. Bilateral adrenal vessel clamping failed to induce a fall in blood pressure in growing dogs which indicates that the adrenal medulla or the baroreceptors did not fully compensate for the lack of peripheral sympathetic fibers and for the lower blood pressure in newborn animals. Although cardiac norepinephrine content was still very low in 10-day-old animals, cardiovascular responses to direct and reflex sympathetic stimulation were similar to those observed in 56-day-old animals. These results indicate that the sympathetic nervous system becomes functional before the fibers reach their full maturity.     

Marked difference in the susceptibility of several species to guanethidine-induced chemical sympathectomy.

Administration of high doses of guanethidine to newborn or adult rats destroys the sympathetic nervous system. In an attempt to produce models of permanent sympathectomy in other species, high doses of guanethidine were administered neonatally to cats, rabbits, and hamsters. In contrast to rats, the sympathetic nervous systems of these species were not destroyed by guanethidine.     

Ontogenic changes in cardiac rhythm during acute hypoxia in dogs and rabbits]

Newborn dogs and rabbits exhibit unequal reactivity of cardiac activity to acute hypoxia as compared to adult ones, being lesser in the newborn. In dogs, during postnatal life as well as during adaptation to hypoxia, tachycardic effect of atropine increases indicating the increase in vagal tone. In growing rabbits, cardiac rhythm decreases, the decrease being presumably due to changes in the tone of the sympathetic nervous system, since no significant changes were observed in cardiac activity during atropine administration.     

Parasympathetic and sympathetic postganglionic synapses in ureterovesical autonomic pathways

Summary Histochemical techniques for acetylcholinesterase and catecholamine show that ureterovesical ganglia of both cat and dog contain dense intraganglionic cholinergic and adrenergic plexuses. Ramifications of both plexuses surround most cholinergic and adrenergic ganglion cell bodies as pericellular synaptic plexuses. Similar pericellular plexuses exist around extraganglionic cholinergic and adrenergic ganglion cells. Both adrenergic and cholinergic synaptic fibers persist in denervated pregnaglionic nerve-free specimens, indicating that cholinergic synaptic fibers are postganglionic parasympathetic in nature. The presence of adrenergic (postganglionic sympathetic) and postganglionic parasympathetic synapses around cell bodies in ureterovesical ganglia provides a morphologic basis for the sympathoinhibitory and muscarinic parasympatho-excitatory phenomena described in these ganglia.     

Electrical activity of the sympathetic ganglia during the depressor reflex

Tonic activity of neurons of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion was recorded by the "sucrose gap" method and in the 4th and 5th lumbar sympathetic ganglia with the aid of focal nonpolarizing electrodes in acute experiments on anesthetized cats and rabbits. The preganglionic fibers of the ganglia were left intact. Stimulation of the depressor nerve not only sharply inhibited the tonic activity of the ganglia but also led to the appearance of electropositive potentials of 0.7 ± 0.2 mV in the superior cervical ganglion and 20–250 µV in the lumbar ganglia. The amplitude of this potential was unchanged by atropine (1 · 10^–6M). A similar effect occured without stimulation of the depressor nerve, after division of the preganglionic fibers or blocking of their conduction; it is attributed to the cessation of preganglionic tonic impulses which induce not only spikes, but also many EPSPs in neurons of the ganglion. Their frequency in the lumbar ganglia was 4/sec. Summation of these EPSPs leads to constant electronegativity of the ganglion surface relative to the postganglionic fibers, and its disappearance is recorded as a positive potential. Stimulation of the depressor nerve thus does not induce IPSPs in the ganglion; consequently, the inhibition of synaptic activity observed under these circumstances is located in the CNS and not in the ganglion.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 519–524, September–October, 1974.     

Microfluorimetric study of adrenergic structures in nerve plexuses of the cat pelvic cavity following decentralization and in the normal

Microfluorimetric techniques were used to investigate catecholamine concentration in small, intensely fluorescent cells and adrenergic fibers of the cat pelvic plexus ganglia and intramural ganglia of the urinary bladder and rectum in the control and following sympathetic and parasympathetic denervation. The cells examined could be divided between catecholamine- and serotonin-containing types. Parasympathetic denervation brought about an increase in the number of cells displaying serotinergic fluorescence and heightened fluorescence in the adrenergic fibers of the pelvic plexus ganglia and intramural ganglia of the urinary bladder, without affecting degree of fluorescence in those of the rectal intramural ganglia. Sympathetic denervation failed to change fluorescence level in the cells and adrenergic fibers in pelvic plexus and urinary bladder ganglia but caused the almost complete disappearance of the adrenergic fibers in the rectal intramural ganglia.Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Belorussian SSR, Minsk. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 496–502, July–August, 1986.     

Conducting pathways of the rabbit lumbar sympathetic ganglia

Conducting pathways of ganglia from the lumbar portion (L₃–L₅) of the sympathetic trunk in rabbits were studied by recording action potentials from nerves of the ganglia evoked by stimulation of other nerves of these ganglia, and by intracellular recording from single neurons. Besides the well-known system of descending preganglionic fibers, which enter the trunk through white rami communicantes and, as they pass through the ganglia, form synapses on ganglionic neurons, some preganglionic fibers were shown to enter the sympathetic chain through gray rami communicantes and to run in both ascending and descending directions, forming synaptic connections with neurons of the lumbar ganglia.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 247–254, March–April, 1984.     

Structural and functional changes in sympathetic ganglia following endotoxin and alpha1-antitrypsin exposure]

Structural and functional organisation of sympathetic ganglia under conditions of endotoxemia was studied in white rats, cats, and dogs. Submicroscopic characteristics of the changes occurring in the rat prevertebral sympathetic ganglia after endotoxin administration or application of endogenous proteinase inhibitor alpha 1-antitrypsin, were assessed as well as ultrastructural bases of the febrile rat ganglionic responses to antipyretic drug administration. Effects of endotoxin on synaptic transmission in inferior mesenteric plexus' ganglia of cats and on electrical activity in inferior mesenteric plexus' ganglia of dogs, were electrophysiologically demonstrated.     

大鼠与家兔生后各年龄阶段跖肌纤维的比较

应用建立在肌球蛋白重链异构体基础上的标准肌动球蛋白ATP酶和琥珀酸脱氢酶组织化学方法,分析大鼠和家兔出生后发育各年龄阶段跖肌纤维型分布。在生后2周至24周龄的大鼠和家兔Ⅰ、ⅡX型肌纤维百分比例减少,而ⅡA、ⅡB型纤维则增加。进行大量单肌纤维的组织化学特征的比较和相关性探讨。结果显示动物平均体重与跖肌的平均湿重随生后发育逐渐增加,Ⅰ、ⅡX、ⅡA及ⅡB型纤维均在生后各年龄组的全部肌肉内被发现,但出生后2日龄组是个例外。在生后发育期间,雄性大鼠和家兔ⅡB型纤维的平均肌纤维型构成要大于雌性大鼠和家兔,而雄性大鼠和家兔Ⅰ、ⅡX、ⅡA型三种氧化组织化学分类的肌纤维型构成均小于雌性大鼠和家兔。大鼠Ⅰ、ⅡX、ⅡA和ⅡB型纤维的平均横切面积显然要比家兔的同类型肌纤维要小。在大鼠和家兔可见明显的性别差异。大鼠和家兔的ⅡX型纤维横切面积是最小的,Ⅰ、ⅡA型纤维呈中等大小,ⅡB型纤维最大。该重要的测试有助于我们深入研究啮齿类动物快肌纤维生理特征的适应。     

选择性切除交感神经对大鼠心内神经节中去甲肾上腺素、乙酰胆碱和NPY的影响

为了探讨心内神经节中去甲肾上腺素（ＮＡ）、乙酰胆碱（ＡＣｈ）和ＮＰＹ的相互作用,本实验应用６－ＯＨ－ＤＡ选择性切除大鼠心脏交感神经纤维,然后应用荧光和酶组织化学法、免疫组织化学结合图像分析法观察了大鼠心内神经节ＮＡ、ＡＣｈＥ活性和ＮＰＹ的变化。结果显示：实验组大鼠心内神经节中儿茶酚胺荧光反应阳性和ＮＰＹ免疫反应（ＮＰＹ－ＩＲ）阳性的神经纤维明显减少,ＡＣｈＥ阳性神经纤维明显增多,ＡＣｈＥ反应性神经元积分光密度增加,而儿茶酚胺荧光反应和ＮＰＹ－ＩＲ阳性神经元变化不明显。结果提示：１．交感神经化学切除后大鼠心内神经节中ＮＡ、ＡＣｈＥ活性和ＮＰＹ出现不同的变化,体现了心脏交感神经和副交感神经的相互抑制作用;２．心内神经节可能含有两种性质的ＮＰＹ,即交感性和非交感性ＮＰＹ。     

Morphofunctional restructuring of the nervous system of the lymphoid organs during electrostimulation of the hypothalamus

The intramural nervous apparatus of rabbit lymphoid organs was examined after 15 and 30 sessions of electric stimulation of the posterior hypothalamus. The function of nerve cells was evaluated by cytophotometry according to the content of catecholamines and acetylcholinesterase (ACE) activity. In the mesenteric lymph nodes, stimulation led to a decrease in the activity of both adrenergic and ACE-containing nerve cells. The spleen demonstrated a reduction in the catecholamine content in the perivascular nerve plexuses, with a simultaneous rise of the catecholamine content in the fibers located in the parenchyma, which evidences inhibition of the neurogenous mechanisms of vasomotor control and possible selective activation of the sympathetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of the immunogenesis. Thymic preparations impregnated with silver salts manifested high argyrophilia of the nerve cells, characteristic of the reactive phase of the destructive process. The problems of the hypothalamic effects on the blood supply and functions of the immune system organs are discussed.     

大鼠脊神经节内交感神经支配的荧光组织化学与HRP示踪观察

本研究应用乙醛酸诱发儿茶酚胺（ＣＡ）荧光技术观察大鼠肾上腺素（ＮＡ）能神经在脊神经节内的分布;并应用ＨＲＰ顺、逆行追踪技术对脊神经节内ＮＡ能神经纤维的起源及其与脊神经节神经元的关系进行了探讨。荧光组织化学观察发现、有些神经节神经元胞体周围分布有带膨体的ＮＡ能神经末梢;有的紧密围绕脊神经节细胞——卫星细胞复合体。颈上交感神经节内注射霍乱毒素Ｂ亚单位结合ＨＲＰ（ＣＢ┐ＨＲＰ）,在同侧Ｃ３～６节段脊神经节内可见标记的点状纤维末梢紧邻于节细胞旁。Ｔ１１～Ｌ２节段脊神经节内注射ＨＲＰ后,在同侧椎旁交感链（Ｔ９～Ｌ１）内可见标记的交感节后神经元胞体。上述实验结果表明,交感节后神经元发出节后纤维可直接到达脊神经节内,与节细胞发生接触。本研究提示、交感神经在脊神经节水平可能参与躯体初级传入信息的调制     

Tonic impulsation in preganglionic and postganglionic sympathetic fibers of mammals

A study of the tonic electrical activity of nerves containing preganglionic and postganglionic fibers in the superior cervical and stellate sympathetic ganglia of cats and rabbits has shown that this activity consists of groups of spikes synchronous with the pulse or respiration, and occurs on a background of irregular low-amplitude impulses. The frequency of spikes is higher (250/sec) in nerves containing preganglionic fibers than in those containing postganglionic fibers (100/sec). Groups of spikes in a nerve containing preganglionic fibers correspond in some preparations to groups of spikes of lower frequency in a nerve containing postganglionic fibers of the same ganglion; in other preparations, this correspondence was lacking, apparently due to the absence of synaptic contacts between those groups of pre- and postganglionic neurons whose activity was recorded. Neurons send axons to different nerves (cardiac and vertebral) of the stellate ganglion discharged synchronously in some preparations, and asynchronously in others. Where synchronization was observed, the neurons discharged in rhythm with cardiac contractions.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 303–308, November–December, 1969.     

Role of the sympathetic innervation on uterine electromyographic activity in nonpregnant ovariectomized sheep under estrogen supplementation.

The aims of the present study were to characterize the sympathetic innervation of the nonpregnant sheep uterus, to determine the catecholamine content in myometrium (MYO) and endometrium, and to study the effects of chemical sympathectomy (CHSPX) on uterine catecholamine content and on uterine electromyographic (EMG) activity recorded from the MYO and mesometrium (MESO) in the nonpregnant ovariectomized sheep. After synchronization of estrus, 9 nonpregnant sheep were anesthetized with halothane, ovariectomized, and fitted with vascular catheters and EMG electrodes. Estradiol-17 beta was administered intravascularly at a rate of 50 micrograms/24 h for 10 days. CHSPX was induced with 6-hydroxy dopamine (20 mg/kg). Uterine tissues were obtained for determination of catecholamine content by HPLC and for immunocytochemical staining using an antibody against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). In nonpregnant ovariectomized sheep, TH immunostaining was present in nerve fibers located in endometrium and MYO. In all layers of the uterus, catecholamine fibers were found in the proximity of blood vessels as well as in defined regions of the parenchyma. Throughout the uterus, norepinephrine content and TH immunostaining were dramatically decreased after CHSPX. CHSPX decreased uterine short EMG event activity in both MYO and MESO. Contracture-type activity was not affected in MYO and was increased in MESO. We conclude that sympathetic innervation modulates the MYO and MESO EMG activity in nonpregnant ovariectomized sheep under estradiol supplementation, and that the removal of the sympathetic innervation induces a decrease in the spontaneous activity.