Biomaterial Database

Innervation of sympathetic neurones in the guinea-pig thoracic chain. 1980

J W Lichtman, and D Purves, and J W Yip

We have investigated the organization of the guinea-pig thoracic chain by studying the innervation of the stellate and fifth thoracic sympathetic ganglia with intracellular recording. 1. These ganglia receive preganglionic innervation from different but overlapping sets of spinal cord segments: the stellate ganglion is innervated by preganglionic axons from spinal segments more rostral than those supplying the fifth thoracic ganglion, but somewhat more caudal than those innervating the superior cervical ganglion. 2. Individual thoracic ganglion cells are innervated by only some of the spinal segments that supply each ganglion as a whole. In general, the subset of spinal segments innervating a ganglion cell is contiguous; one of these segments provides the strongest innervation, with progressively weaker innervation arising from spinal levels adjacent to the dominant one. This selective pattern of innervation is similar to that in the superior cervical ganglion (Njå & Purves, 1977 a). 3. Preganglionic axons frequently innervate neurones in more than one ganglion. 4. Although neurones innervated by the same spinal cord segments are found in both the stellate and the fifth thoracic ganglion, as well as in the superior cervical, the number of ganglion cells receiving innervation from particular spinal segments is different in each ganglion. Moreover, neurones dominated by the same segment but located in different ganglia receive somewhat different average innervation from adjacent segments as a function of the ganglion in which they reside. 5. These results indicate that neurones in the thoracic chain ganglia, as those in the superior cervical ganglion, are selectively innervated by particular spinal cord segments. We suggest that the different average innervation of sympathetic ganglia reflects at least two related factors: the selective qualities of their constituent neurones, and the availability of different preganglionic axons to each ganglion.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D005728	Ganglia, Sympathetic	Ganglia of the sympathetic nervous system including the paravertebral and the prevertebral ganglia. Among these are the sympathetic chain ganglia, the superior, middle, and inferior cervical ganglia, and the aorticorenal, celiac, and stellate ganglia.	Celiac Ganglia,Sympathetic Ganglia,Celiac Ganglion,Ganglion, Sympathetic,Ganglia, Celiac,Ganglion, Celiac,Sympathetic Ganglion
D006168	Guinea Pigs	A common name used for the genus Cavia. The most common species is Cavia porcellus which is the domesticated guinea pig used for pets and biomedical research.	Cavia,Cavia porcellus,Guinea Pig,Pig, Guinea,Pigs, Guinea
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001338	Autonomic Fibers, Postganglionic	Nerve fibers which project from cell bodies of AUTONOMIC GANGLIA to SYNAPSES on target organs.	Autonomic Fiber, Postganglionic,Fiber, Postganglionic Autonomic,Fibers, Postganglionic Autonomic,Postganglionic Autonomic Fiber,Postganglionic Autonomic Fibers
D001339	Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic	NERVE FIBERS which project from the central nervous system to AUTONOMIC GANGLIA. In the sympathetic division most preganglionic fibers originate with neurons in the intermediolateral column of the SPINAL CORD, exit via ventral roots from upper thoracic through lower lumbar segments, and project to the paravertebral ganglia; there they either terminate in SYNAPSES or continue through the SPLANCHNIC NERVES to the prevertebral ganglia. In the parasympathetic division the fibers originate in neurons of the BRAIN STEM and sacral spinal cord. In both divisions the principal transmitter is ACETYLCHOLINE but peptide cotransmitters may also be released.	Autonomic Fiber, Preganglionic,Fiber, Preganglionic Autonomic,Fibers, Preganglionic Autonomic,Preganglionic Autonomic Fiber,Preganglionic Autonomic Fibers
D001369	Axons	Nerve fibers that are capable of rapidly conducting impulses away from the neuron cell body.	Axon
D013126	Spinal Nerve Roots	Paired bundles of NERVE FIBERS entering and leaving the SPINAL CORD at each segment. The dorsal and ventral nerve roots join to form the mixed segmental spinal nerves. The dorsal roots are generally afferent, formed by the central projections of the spinal (dorsal root) ganglia sensory cells, and the ventral roots are efferent, comprising the axons of spinal motor and PREGANGLIONIC AUTONOMIC FIBERS.	Dorsal Roots,Spinal Roots,Ventral Roots,Dorsal Root,Nerve Root, Spinal,Nerve Roots, Spinal,Root, Dorsal,Root, Spinal,Root, Spinal Nerve,Root, Ventral,Roots, Dorsal,Roots, Spinal,Roots, Spinal Nerve,Roots, Ventral,Spinal Nerve Root,Spinal Root,Ventral Root
D013233	Stellate Ganglion	A paravertebral sympathetic ganglion formed by the fusion of the inferior cervical and first thoracic ganglia.	Cervicothoracic Ganglion,Cervicothoracic Ganglia,Stellate Ganglia,Ganglia, Cervicothoracic,Ganglia, Stellate,Ganglias, Stellate,Ganglion, Cervicothoracic,Ganglion, Stellate,Stellate Ganglias