Facial parasympathetic innervation of the rat choroid, lacrimal glands and ciliary ganglion. An ultrastructural pterygopalatine tracing and immunohistochemical study

Ophthalmic Res. 1993;25(5):319-30. doi: 10.1159/000267332.

Abstract

The pterygopalatine parasympathetic innervation of the rat choroid, lacrimal glands and ciliary ganglion was ultrastructurally studied by anterograde 3H-leucine tracing. Numerous unmyelinated fibers and vesicle-containing terminals were labeled in these structures. No direct synaptic contacts were found. In the choroid, similar terminals were immunoreactive to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). A regulatory feedback loop within the eye-related peripheral nervous system is endorsed by the present results. The finding of fibers and terminals of pterygopalatine origin in the lacrimal glands agrees with earlier studies in cats and monkeys. In the ciliary ganglion, pterygopalatine terminals most likely influence the ganglion cells by nonsynaptic release of neurotransmitters or neuromodulators including VIP.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoradiography
  • Choroid / innervation*
  • Choroid / metabolism
  • Choroid / ultrastructure
  • Ciliary Body / innervation*
  • Ciliary Body / metabolism
  • Ciliary Body / ultrastructure
  • Facial Nerve / metabolism
  • Facial Nerve / ultrastructure*
  • Ganglia / metabolism
  • Ganglia, Parasympathetic / metabolism
  • Ganglia, Parasympathetic / ultrastructure
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Lacrimal Apparatus / innervation*
  • Lacrimal Apparatus / metabolism
  • Lacrimal Apparatus / ultrastructure
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Immunoelectron
  • Nerve Fibers / metabolism
  • Nerve Fibers / ultrastructure
  • Neural Pathways / metabolism
  • Neural Pathways / ultrastructure
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / metabolism

Substances

  • Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide