TABLE 2.
Relative Abundance of Cholinergic Neuronal Supply and Cholinergic Nonneuronal Cells Within Selected Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue, Spleen, and Other Selected Tissues of ChAT-Cre-tdTomato Mice1
| Nonneuronal cholinergic cells |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Organs or tissues | Cholinergic neuronal supply | Abundance Phenotype | |
| I. Gut-associated lymphoid tissue | |||
| Gastrointestinal tract | |||
| Wall and submucosa | +++ | − | |
| Epithelium | − | + | Epithelial |
| Lamina propria2 | ++ | − | |
| Peyer’s patches | |||
| Dome | − | + | Microfold cell |
| Follicle | − | + | T-cell |
| Interfollicular area2 | + | + | T-cell |
| Gallbladder and biliary duct | |||
| Wall | ++ | − | |
| Lamina propria | − | − | |
| Epithelium | − | + + | Brush cell |
| II. Spleen | |||
| Capsule | − | − | |
| Arterioles | + | − | |
| Red pulp | − | − | |
| White pulp2 | + | + | B- and T-cell |
| III. Selected glands and metabolic tissues | |||
| Thyroid gland | ++ | − | |
| Salivary glands | +++ | − | |
| Liver parenchyma | − | − | |
| Pancreas | |||
| Exocrine | ++ | − | |
| Endocrine | ++ | − | |
| Adrenals | |||
| Medulla | +++ | − | |
| Cortex | − | − | |
| White adipose tissue | |||
| Mesenteric | − | − | |
| Perigonadal | − | − | |
| Brown adipose tissue | − | − | |
| Sweat glands | ++ | − | |
| Testis | |||
| Capsule | − | − | |
| Parenchyma | − | − | |
| Airways | |||
| Epithelium | − | + / − | Epithelial |
| Lamina propria | +/− | − | |
| Smooth muscle | +++ | − | |
| Skeletal muscle | ++ | − | |
| IV. Selected large blood vessels | |||
| Aortic arch | ++ | − | |
| Abdominal aorta | ++ | − | |
| Portal vein (hilus) | ++ | − | |
| Hepatic artery (hilus) | ++ | − | |
| Mesenteric arteries and veins | ++ | − | |
| Skin arteries | ++ | − | |
| Pulmonary arteries | ++ | − | |
| Coronary arteries | ++ | − | |
Estimates are based on the survey of three different animals. Based on morphological criteria, double-labeling, and flow-sorting experiments, we further narrowed down the cellular identity of nonneuronal cells, as indicated in the right column. Of note, the abundance of neuronal somas (postganglionic neurons) in the periphery is not included in this survey. Estimates: +++, high density; ++, moderate density; +, low density; −, absence of fluorescence.
Close proximity (<1 μm or apparent contact) between cholinergic fibers (tdTomato fluorescent) and immune cells.