The spinal origin of the sympathetic nerve fibres to the vascular and secretory components of the rat submaxillary salivary gland.
The spinal origin of the sympathetic vasoconstrictor and secretory fibres to the submaxillary gland of the rat was identified in the pithed rat preparation by means of selective stimulation of small segments of the spinal outflow. Secretory and vascular responses were similar following stimulation in pithed rats to those following stimulation of the isolated superior cervical nerve trunk in anaesthetized rats. The spinal origin of the secretory and vascular fibres was coincident and it is concluded that if a separate control of blood flow and secretion by sympathetic fibres does exist that it must occur at the level of C.N.S. but that the nerves share a common pathway to the gland.
D000818:Animals; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000502:physiology