Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1985 Jan;358:239–253. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1985.sp015549

The selective innervation of guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion cells by sprouts from intact preganglionic axons.

I Henningsen, K Liestøl, J Maehlen, A Nja
PMCID: PMC1193340  PMID: 3981467

Abstract

If the guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion is partially denervated in a way which spares some preganglionic axons arising from each of the spinal cord segments which normally innervate this ganglion (C8-T7), sprouting of the intact preganglionic axons occurs without a loss of selective end-organ responses to stimulation of individual ventral roots (Maehlen & Njå, 1981). In the present work we examine the selective innervation of individual ganglion cells by ventral roots after sprouting and compare it to that in normal ganglia. After sprouting the pattern of ganglion cell innervation by the intact preganglionic axons shows some of the features typical of normal ganglia. Thus each ganglion cell is strongly innervated by one or two neighbouring spinal cord segments, with the adjacent segments contributing a synaptic influence which diminishes with distance from the dominant one. Acutely after the partial denervation there is a tendency for the rostral segments to innervate ganglion cells more strongly than do caudal segments, compared to the situation in normal ganglia. The same is true following sprouting. The pattern of ganglion cell innervation observed after sprouting can be explained if the affinities of ganglion cells for innervation from particular spinal levels are assumed to be unchanged and the shift in the relative availability of different preganglionic axons, caused by the partial denervation, is taken into account. This view was substantiated by statistical analysis based on a model of selective synapse formation in the guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion. We conclude that the ability of individual ganglion cells to distinguish preganglionic axons arising from different spinal levels is maintained during sprouting. Moreover, the way in which selective recognition and the availability of different preganglionic axons combine to produce particular patterns of innervation appears to be similar in normal development and after partial denervation in maturity.

Full text

PDF
239

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Fonnum F., Maehlen J., Njå A. Functional, structural and chemical correlates of sprouting of intact preganglionic sympathetic axons in the guinea-pig. J Physiol. 1984 Feb;347:741–749. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1984.sp015093. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. GUTH L., BERNSTEIN J. J. Selectivity in the re-establishment of synapses in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion of the cat. Exp Neurol. 1961 Jul;4:59–69. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(61)90078-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. LILEY A. W. An investigation of spontaneous activity at the neuromuscular junction of the rat. J Physiol. 1956 Jun 28;132(3):650–666. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005555. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Langley J. N. Note on Regeneration of Prae-Ganglionic Fibres of the Sympathetic. J Physiol. 1895 Jul 18;18(3):280–284. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1895.sp000566. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Langley J. N. Notes on the regeneration of the pre-ganglionic fibres in the sympathetic system. J Physiol. 1900 Aug 29;25(5):417–426. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1900.sp000805. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Langley J. N. On the Regeneration of Pre-Ganglionic and of Post-Ganglionic Visceral Nerve Fibres. J Physiol. 1897 Nov 20;22(3):215–230. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1897.sp000688. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lichtman J. W., Purves D. The elimination of redundant preganglionic innervation to hamster sympathetic ganglion cells in early post-natal life. J Physiol. 1980 Apr;301:213–228. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1980.sp013200. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Lichtman J. W., Purves D., Yip J. W. Innervation of sympathetic neurones in the guinea-pig thoracic chain. J Physiol. 1980 Jan;298:285–299. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1980.sp013081. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Lichtman J. W., Purves D., Yip J. W. On the purpose of selective innervation of guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion cells. J Physiol. 1979 Jul;292:69–84. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1979.sp012839. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. MURRAY J. G., THOMPSON J. W. The occurrence and function of collateral sprouting in the sympathetic nervous system of the cat. J Physiol. 1957 Jan 23;135(1):133–162. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1957.sp005700. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Maehlen J., Njå A. Selective synapse formation during sprouting after partial denervation of the guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion. J Physiol. 1981;319:555–567. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013926. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Nja A., Purves D. Re-innervation of guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion cells by preganglionic fibres arising from different levels of the spinal cord. J Physiol. 1977 Nov;272(3):633–651. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp012064. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Njå A., Purves D. Specific innervation of guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion cells by preganglionic fibres arising from different levels of the spinal cord. J Physiol. 1977 Jan;264(2):565–583. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp011683. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Njå A., Purves D. Specificity of initial synaptic contacts made on guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion cells during regeneration of the cervical sympathetic trunk. J Physiol. 1978 Aug;281:45–62. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1978.sp012408. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Purves D., Lichtman J. W. Formation and maintenance of synaptic connections in autonomic ganglia. Physiol Rev. 1978 Oct;58(4):821–862. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1978.58.4.821. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Purves D., Thompson W., Yip J. W. Re-innervation of ganglia transplanted to the neck from different levels of the guinea-pig sympathetic chain. J Physiol. 1981;313:49–63. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013650. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Purves D., Wigston D. J. Neural units in the superior cervical ganglion of the guinea-pig. J Physiol. 1983 Jan;334:169–178. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1983.sp014487. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES