title: Organisation of autonomic nervous structures in the small intestine of chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger, Molina).
abstract: Using histochemical, histological and immunocytochemical methods, organisation of the autonomic nerve structures in small intestine of chinchilla was investigated. Myenteric plexus was localised between circular and longitudinal layers of the smooth muscles. Forming network nodes, the small autonomic, cholinergic ganglia were linked with the bundles of nerve fibres. Adrenergic structures were visible as specific varicose, rosary-like fibres forming bundles of parallel fibres connecting network nodes. Structures of the submucosal plexus formed a finer network than those of the myenteric plexus. Moreover, in 'whole-mount' specimens, fibres forming thick perivascular plexuses were also observed. Immunocytochemical studies confirmed the cholinergic and adrenergic character of the investigated structures. VAChT-positive neurones were found only in myenteric plexus, and numerous VAChT-positive and DBH-positive fibres were found in both plexuses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, 15 Świętokrzyska St., 25-406, Kielce, Poland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nowak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017776:Autonomic Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002682:Chinchilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000294:innervation