title: Ultrastructural identification of a sympathetic component in the hypoglossal nerve of hamsters using experimental degeneration and horseradish peroxidase methods.
abstract: We employed experimental degeneration, tract-tracing with wheatgerm agglutinin conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) and electron microscopy to explore the postganglionic sympathetic fibers in the hypoglossal nerve of hamsters. Quantitative results of normal untreated animals at the electron microscopic level showed the existence of unmyelinated fibers, which made up about 20% of the total fibers in the nerve, being more numerous on the left side. The nerve fibers were preferentially distributed at the periphery of the nerve. Following superior cervical ganglionectomy, most of the unmyelinated fibers underwent degenerative changes. Tract-tracing studies showed that some of the unmyelinated fibers were labeled by WGA-HRP injected into the superior cervical ganglion (SCG). It is suggested that the unmyelinated fibers represent the postganglionic sympathetic fibers originated from the SCG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: I-Hua
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Hung-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: June-Horng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lue
authors.forename: Chen-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Jeng-Yung
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shieh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D015171:Ganglionectomy; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008571:Men; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036421:Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins / Q000378:metabolism; D014930:Women
chemical_list: D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase