Adrenergic innervation of the parasympathetic ciliary ganglion in the chick

Science. 1974 Jul 19;185(4147):279-81. doi: 10.1126/science.185.4147.279.

Abstract

The chick ciliary ganglion receives a nonvascular symathetic innervation in addition to the well-known cholinergic one; fluorescent, varicose adrenergic fibers form pericelluar baskets. Adrenergic fibes were identified electron microscopically in ganglia fixed with potassium permanganate. The fibers degenerate after injection of 6-hydroxydopamine. No true synaptic relationships involving adrenergic varicosities and ganglion cells or cholinergic terminals were demonstrable. The distribution of the adrenergic fibers suggests a kind of "distance à synapse" with the choroidal cells or with the preganglionic fibers (or both). The adrenergic innervation might provide a modulation of the cholinergic transmission.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Ciliary Body / innervation*
  • Female
  • Ganglia / cytology*
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Neuroglia / cytology
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System / cytology*
  • Sympathetic Nervous System / cytology*
  • Synapses / cytology
  • Synaptic Vesicles