An aortic projection of lumbar paravertebral sympathetic neurons in the bullfrog.
A population of sympathetic neurons which projects from paravertebral ganglia to the dorsal aorta was identified in the bullfrog based on its electrophysiology and anatomy. The aorta is bilaterally supplied by about a dozen connective nerves arising from sympathetic ganglia 7-10. From compound action potentials, the majority of fibers can be identified as postganglionic axons belonging to both the B- and C-cell groups. Tracing experiments indicated that 95 +/- 21 (mean +/- SD) neurons project into each connective and that axons in connectives penetrate the wall of the aorta where they break into small bundles. Staining wholemounts of the aorta for neuropeptide Y revealed a plexus of varicose axons which presumably arise from sympathetic C neurons. These observations imply that the aorta is sympathetically innervated by paravertebral C neurons.
Thorne
R
R
Department of Neurbiology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Stofer
W D
WD
Horn
J P
JP
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology*; D001369:Axons / Q000276:immunology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D011892:Rana catesbeiana