Decentralization of the superior cervical ganglion in neonates impairs the development of the innervation of the iris. A quantitative ultrastructural study.
The superior cervical sympathetic ganglion was decentralized unilaterally by section of the preganglionic chain in 2- or 4-day-old rats. Twenty-one days post-operatively the dilator muscle of the iris was examined electron microscopically. Quantitative estimates demonstrated that there was a reduction both in the numbers of axon bundles and of individual axons in the iris innervated by the deafferented ganglion as compared with its fellow of the contralateral control side.
D000818:Animals; D001339:Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic / Q000502:physiology*; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002452:Cell Count; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003714:Denervation; D005260:Female; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000502:physiology*; D007498:Iris / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000294:innervation; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology