title: Morphometric study of age-related changes in the human intracardiac ganglia.
abstract: The present study was performed in order to determine morphological age-related changes of the human intracardiac ganglia. Paraffin sections of 40 ganglia from infants, adult and aged human hearts were stained with Picro-Mallory method. The ganglia area, nerve cell (with clearly visible nucleolus) area, neuron soma long axis length, perimeter, area of neuronal nuclei and neuron soma form factor were measured with the aid of computer images analyzing program "Sigma Scan Pro 5.0". Also, the neuronal density and the area occupied by nerve cells per ganglion section were calculated. The relative frequency of satellite cells, in close contact with nerve cell soma, was estimated. Based on the data of this study, we concluded that the area of ganglia, neurons and their nuclei increased with age. Neuronal packing density significantly decreased, but the area occupied by nerve cells within the ganglia decreased non-significantly. Satellite cells were more numerous nearby ganglion neurons from infant hearts. Shape factor of neurons was stable between the groups. In conclusion, the present study confirms significant differences in the morphology of the intrinsic cardiac ganglia with age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, Kaunas University of Medicine, A. Mickeviciaus 9, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania. rutpuk@one.lt
authors.forename: Rūta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jurgaitiene
authors.forename: Neringa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pauziene
authors.forename: Vidmantas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Azelis
authors.forename: Edvardas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zurauskas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000166:cytology*; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D027161:Satellite Cells, Perineuronal / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents