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Electron microscopic investigation of adrenergic and non-adrenergic axons in the rabbit SA-node

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Summary

The rabbit SA-node was outlined electrophysiologically and its adrenergic and cholinergic innervation patterns were studied with the electron microscope. Differentiation between adrenergic and cholinergic terminals was achieved by fixation of the specimens in KMnO4 which produces dense-cored synaptic vesicles in adrenergic terminals, whereas synaptic vesicles in cholinergic terminals are empty. It was found that adrenergic and cholinergic nerve terminals often come in close apposition to each other, the distance between adjoining membranes being in the order of 250 Å. At times, faint membrane thickenings could be seen in these places. The available pharmacological, physiological and morphological evidence leaves little room for doubt that cholinergic terminal fibers can influence the adrenergic ones. From mainly morphological evidence it is also postulated that adrenergic terminals influence cholinergic terminals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Institute of Anatomy and Histology, University of Lund, Sweden

    E. Nilsson & B. Sporrong

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  1. E. Nilsson
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  2. B. Sporrong
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Additional information

This work was supported by grants from Åhlén-Stiftelsen, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden, the United States Public Health Service (project 06701-04) and the Swedish Medical Research Council (B70-14X-2321-03 and B70-14X-712-05).

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Nilsson, E., Sporrong, B. Electron microscopic investigation of adrenergic and non-adrenergic axons in the rabbit SA-node. Z. Zellforsch. 111, 404–412 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00342490

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00342490

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