Morphological and quantitative study of ganglionated plexus of Calomys callosus trachea

Auton Neurosci. 2008 Dec 15;144(1-2):30-5. doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2008.08.003. Epub 2008 Sep 27.

Abstract

Calomys callosus is a wild, native forest rodent found in South America. In Brazil, this species has been reported to harbour the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The ganglionated plexus of this species was studied using whole-mount preparations of trachea that were stained using histological and histochemical methods. The histological methods were used to determine the position of the ganglia with respect to the trachea muscle and to determine the presence of elastic and collagen fibers. The histochemical method of NADH-diaphorase was used for morphometric evaluations of the plexus. The tracheal plexus lies exclusively over the muscular part of the organ, dorsal to the muscle itself. It varies in pattern and extent between animals. The average number of neurons was 279 and the cellular profile area ranged from 38.37 microm2 to 805.89 microm2. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry verified that both ganglia and single neurons lie along nerve trunks and are reciprocally interconnected with the plexus. Intensely AChE-reactive neurons were found to be intermingled with poorly reactive ones. Two longitudinal AChE-positive nerve trunks were also observed and there was a diverse number of ganglia along the intricate network of nerves interconnecting the trunks. A ganglion capsule of collagen and elastic fibers surrounding the neurons was observed. Under polarized light, the capsule appeared to be formed by Type I collagen fibers.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / metabolism
  • Acetylcholinesterase / analysis
  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Autonomic Pathways / cytology*
  • Autonomic Pathways / enzymology
  • Cell Count
  • Cell Size
  • Collagen / metabolism
  • Collagen / ultrastructure
  • Elastic Tissue / metabolism
  • Elastic Tissue / ultrastructure
  • Ganglia, Autonomic / cytology*
  • Ganglia, Autonomic / enzymology
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Male
  • Muscle, Smooth / innervation
  • Muscle, Smooth / metabolism
  • NAD / analysis
  • NAD / metabolism
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / enzymology
  • Rodentia / anatomy & histology*
  • Rodentia / physiology
  • Satellite Cells, Perineuronal / cytology
  • Species Specificity
  • Trachea / innervation*
  • Trachea / physiology

Substances

  • NAD
  • Collagen
  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Acetylcholine