Monoaminergic pathways to the coronary arteries and to the myocardium.
The monoaminergic innervation of the coronary vessels and of the myocardium in dogs was examined by means of degenerative techniques: (i) local perivascular neurotomy was performed at the origin of the left coronary artery; (ii) the stellate ganglion was removed bilaterally. Evaluation of the neural degeneration pattern led the suggestion that three types of neurons at least exist within the heart: (i) neurons innervating the coronary vessels both in the ventricles and in the atria; (ii) neurons innervating the ventricular myocardium, and (iii) neurons innervating the atrial myocardium. The post-ganglionic fibres of the stellate ganglion innervate the vessels of the whole heart. Their contribution to the innervation of the ventricular myocardium represents about 30%.
D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000294:innervation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000294:innervation*; D004285:Dogs; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000502:physiology; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*