SYMPATHETIC AND PARASYMPATHETIC INNERVATION OF RAT HEART AND THEIR RELATION / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Fifty two adult male rats were selected for the investigation the adrenergic and cholinergic innervation of rat heart by means of histochemical demonstration of catecholamine fluorescence and acetylcholinesterase (ACHE). Consecutive method was employed on the same section to demonstration the relation between the distribution of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves in various parts of rat heart, e. g. atrium, ventricular myocardium, valves, epicardium, endocardium, atrioventricular node and coronary arteries. Adrenergic and cholinergic terminals innervated all parts dually. By comparing the photographs demonstrating the fluorescence CA and AChE on the same section treated by the consecutive method, we found that the location, the density and morphology of both types of nerve terminals were more like. In other words, under light microscopy the localization of both terminals can hardly be distinguished from each other. Such kind of morphological relation may strongly support the results of interaction between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in physiological and pharmacological experiments of heart.In the cardiac ganglia there are some small intense fluorescence ceils (SIF-cells) lying besides the postganglionic cholinergic cells of the parasympathetic nervous system. Both kinds of cells were shown in close contact with each other in the same section with consecutive method. This morphological relation provided an evidence that catecholamine containing SIF-cells may control and regulate the neurotransmission of parasympathetic cholinergic neurons.