On the recepto endocrine property of granule-containing (GC) cells in the autonomic nervous system.
The recepto-endocrine property of the granule-containing (GC) cells in the paraganglia, sensory and autonomic ganglia and in peripheral nerves was discussed in relation to the existing variability of their synaptic connections to the neurons. Those GC cells synaptically related to pseudounipolar neurons are likely to represent the periphearal sensors for chemical stimuli and/or the chemosensory modulators, being more receptive than endocrine in function (S-type), whereas those being connected only with multipolar neurons to which they are postsynaptic are assumed to be more endocrine than receptive (E-type); those being internuncial in relation to multipolar neurons are considered as neuronal in property because of their specializations gained on both the receptive and endocrine sides, and as representing adrenergic interneurons which modulate the activities of the autonomic outflow (I-type). The distribution of the three types, as well as a combined type, of GC cells was surveyed in the literature on the GC cell synapses.
D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013045:Species Specificity; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014426:Turtles / Q000033:anatomy & histology