title: Re-evaluation and quantification of the different sources of nerve fibres supplying the rat eye.
abstract: The denervation and/or the removal of peripheral nerve ganglia are useful surgical techniques for studying the source and distribution of peripheral nerves in all organs, including the eye. The amount and distribution of the remaining nerve fibres supplying the eye (after sectioning of various types of nervous fibres and/or removal of nerve ganglia) were evaluated in the rat. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anaesthetized and one or more of the following nervous tissues were removed: superior cervical ganglion, main ciliary ganglion, pterygopalatine ganglion, trigeminal ganglion and the ophthalmic-maxillary nerve. In some animals, chemical sympathectomy was performed by administration of 6-OH dopamine. The eyes were cut in serial sections, but only three regions (cornea, iris and choroid) were harvested and submitted for various nerve fibre staining techniques. The results were quantified and statistically analysed. Superior cervical ganglionectomy and/or chemical sympathectomy induced the destruction of almost all the catecholaminergic nerve fibres in the three examined regions of the rat eye. Removal of the ciliary ganglion (partial parasympathectomy) caused the destruction of about 60% of the cholinergic nerve fibres of the same regions of the rat eye, while subtotal parasympathectomy destroyed about 80% of the cholinergic nerve fibres. Surgical transsection of the ophthalmo-maxillary nerve or the removal of the trigeminal ganglion led to a degeneration of almost all sensitive nerve fibres of the three examined regions of the rat eye. The denervation experiments confirmed the presence of the different types of nerve fibres (sympathetic, parasympathetic and sensitive) in the three studied structures of the rat eye.
authors.affiliation: Section of Anatomy, Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavallotti
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frati
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sagnelli
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pescosolido
mesh_terms: D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D003714:Denervation; D005123:Eye / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D017764:Parasympathectomy; D017777:Parasympathetic Fibers, Postganglionic / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000601:surgery; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D016627:Oxidopamine
references.citation: J Histochem Cytochem. 1964 Mar;12:219-21
references.pmid: 14187330
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1993 Oct 22;336(4):517-31
references.pmid: 7902365
references.citation: J Anat. 1993 Apr;182 ( Pt 2):187-95
references.pmid: 8376193
references.citation: Exp Eye Res. 1989 Apr;48(4):467-75
references.pmid: 2785457
references.citation: Anat Histol Embryol. 2000 Dec;29(6):387-91
references.pmid: 11199486
references.citation: Histochem J. 1995 Oct;27(10):819-31
references.pmid: 8575944
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 1985 Aug;103(8):1207-11
references.pmid: 2411247
references.citation: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004 Feb;45(2):361-7
references.pmid: 14744873
references.citation: Am J Anat. 1969 Mar;124(3):341-59
references.pmid: 5773908
references.citation: Brain Res. 1993 Dec 17;631(1):83-8
references.pmid: 7507791
references.citation: Annu Rev Neurosci. 1980;3:169-87
references.pmid: 6106449
references.citation: Trans Ophthalmol Soc U K (1962). 1985;104 ( Pt 4):390-5
references.pmid: 3862271
references.citation: Brain Res. 1990 May 28;517(1-2):315-23
references.pmid: 1695865
references.citation: Exp Eye Res. 2004 Mar;78(3):329-35
references.pmid: 15106910
references.citation: Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1985 Nov;62(11):793-8
references.pmid: 3934980
references.citation: Albrecht Von Graefes Arch Klin Exp Ophthalmol. 1969;177(3):206-11
references.pmid: 5306158
references.citation: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1994 Feb;35(2):592-9
references.pmid: 7509326
references.citation: Exp Eye Res. 1984 Apr;38(4):435-7
references.pmid: 6373336
references.citation: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2002 Mar;43(3):581-6
references.pmid: 11867570
references.citation: J Auton Nerv Syst. 1999 Jul 7;77(1):45-54
references.pmid: 10494749
references.citation: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1986 Jun;27(6):951-7
references.pmid: 3710734
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1982 Oct 1;210(4):411-22
references.pmid: 6183298
references.citation: Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 1993;7(6):293-304
references.pmid: 8406293
references.citation: Exp Eye Res. 1986 Apr;42(4):349-55
references.pmid: 3519261
references.citation: Experientia. 1987 Jul 15;43(7):791-800
references.pmid: 3297767
references.citation: Int Ophthalmol. 1998;22(6):349-53
references.pmid: 10937850
references.citation: Eur J Pharmacol. 1991 Mar 5;194(2-3):217-23
references.pmid: 2060603
references.citation: Ophthalmic Res. 1996;28(1):36-43
references.pmid: 8726675
references.citation: J Anat. 1996 Oct;189 ( Pt 2):285-92
references.pmid: 8886950
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1970 Jan;65(1):114-21
references.pmid: 5263743
references.citation: Int Ophthalmol. 2001;24(3):133-9
references.pmid: 12498509
references.citation: Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2003 Nov;275(1):973-8
references.pmid: 14533171
references.citation: J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1950 Jul;99(3):376-93
references.pmid: 15437314
references.citation: Brain Res. 1995 May 29;681(1-2):229-34
references.pmid: 7552287
references.citation: Experientia. 1985 Nov 15;41(11):1389-90
references.pmid: 4065291
references.citation: Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 1993 Jul;203(1):77-82
references.pmid: 8411894
references.citation: Exp Eye Res. 1987 Jun;44(6):907-22
references.pmid: 3308498