title: Stereological and allometric studies on neurons and axo-dendritic synapses in superior cervical ganglia.
abstract: The superior cervical ganglion (SCG) plays an important role in neuropathies including Horner's syndrome, stroke, and epilepsy. While mammalian SCGs seem to share certain organizational features, they display natural differences related to the animal size and side and the complexity and synaptic coverage of their dendritic arborizations. However, apart from the rat SCG, there is little information concerning the number of SCG neurons and synapses, and the nature of relationships between body weight and the numbers and sizes of neurons and synapses remain uncertain. In the recognition of this gap in the literature, in this chapter, we reviewed the current knowledge on the SCG structure and its remodeling during postnatal development across a plethora of large mammalian species, focusing on exotic rodents and domestic animals. Instrumentally, we present stereology as a state-of-the-art 3D technology to assess the SCG 3D structure unbiasedly and suggest future research directions on this topic.
authors: Laboratory of Stochastic Stereology and Chemical Anatomy (LSSCA), Department of Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Fernando V Lobo
authors: FV
authors: Ladd
authors: Laboratory of Stochastic Stereology and Chemical Anatomy (LSSCA), Department of Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Aliny A B Lobo
authors: AA
authors: Ladd
authors: Laboratory of Stochastic Stereology and Chemical Anatomy (LSSCA), Department of Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Andrea A P
authors: AA
authors: da Silva
authors: School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom. Electronic address: a.coppi@surrey.ac.uk.
authors: A Augusto
authors: AA
authors: Coppi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: Aging; Mammals; Neurons; Stereology; Superior cervical ganglion; Synapses