[Electron microscopy studies of innervation of nasal mucosa glands in humans].
BACKGROUND
Seromucous glands are one of the main components of human nasal mucosa. The innervation pattern is important to understand the control of the different physiological glandular functions. In addition to light-microscopical findings electronmicroscopic investigations were performed to get more detailed information on the innervation of nasal glands.


METHODS
Tissue samples of 16 human inferior turbinates were taken during nasal surgery and preserved in Unicryl or 3.5% phosphate-buffered glutaraldehyde. After fixation ultrathin sections were cut. Electron microscopical structures were photodocumented by using a transmission-electron microscope (EM 902 A Zeiss).


RESULTS
Few axons were found in the periglandular tissue. No myo- or glandular-neural tight junctions could be identified. Unmyelinated nerve fibers showed typical components such as neurofilaments, neurotubules and mitochondria in their cytoplasm. An additional control of the glandular secretion by the vascular tone of the fenestrated capillary vessels will be discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on these ultramorphological findings further immunoelectron microscopical investigations will follow to demonstrate the various neurotransmitters and their distribution in periglandular axons.
Knipping
S
S
Klinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenkrankheiten, Gesichts- und Halschirurgie, Martin-Luther-Universität, Halle/Wittenberg.
Holzhausen
H J
HJ
Mir-Salim
P A
PA
Riederer
A
A
Berghaus
A
A
D002648:Child; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000294:innervation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000294:innervation / Q000648:ultrastructure*