Primary afferent projections from dorsal and ventral roots to autonomic preganglionic neurons in the cat sacral spinal cord: light and electron microscopic observations.
HRP applied to cut dorsal and ventral roots of the cat sacral spinal cord labeled afferent axons with swellings in close apposition to labeled preganglionic neurons (PGNs) in the sacral parasympathetic nucleus. Electron microscopy allowed characterization of synaptic contacts between afferents and PGNs. The results suggest that both the dorsal and ventral root afferents can directly activate autonomic preganglionic neurons.
D000818:Animals; D001339:Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002415:Cats; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology*