Autonomic innervation of the ocular choroid membrane in the chicken

Summary The distribution pattern of adrenergic fibres innervating the ocular choroid membrane of the chicken was studied by means of fluorescence and electron microscopy. In addition, the origin of these fibres was investigated after superior cervical ganglionectomy. Adrenergic axons reach the choroid, partly forming the perivascular plexuses and partly running in the choroid nerves and the choroidal branches of the ciliary nerves. The axon terminals distribute to the smooth muscle cells of the arterial wall and to the extensive system of smooth muscle cells of the intervascular stroma. After unilateral ganglionectomy, fluorescent fibres almost completely disappeared, and degenerative changes could be observed in the terminal varicosities on both smooth muscle cell populations. These findings suggest that the adrenergic axons either originate from neurones within the ipsilateral superior cervical ganglion, or pass through this ganglion. The persistence of normal terminals in short- and long-term ganglionectomised animals shows that the vasal and intervascular muscle cells of the choroid membrane are provided with both an adrenergic and a cholinergic innervation.This work was supported by grant No 80.00442.04 from the Italian National Research Council (CNR)