Abstract
To provide morphologic evidence for the innervation of accessory lacrimal glands, glands were biopsied and examined using standard transmission electron microscopic techniques. Non-myelinated nerve fibers were found in the connective tissue between the glandular epithelia where they made contact with glandular epithelial cells, myoepithelial cells, vascular endothelial cells, plasma cells and fibroblasts. The distances measured between axons and target cells ranged from 30 to 130 nm. Where nerve fibers approached cells sustaining a basement membrane, their basement membranes fused to form a discrete unit resembling so-called ‘synapses à distance’. Cells with no basement membrane were situated in direct contact with the basement membrane of a nerve fiber. Single axons were identified between glandular epithelial cells and cells of intralobular ducts. Most of these axons contained many small clear vesicles and a few large, dense core vesicles, a finding considered typical of cholinergic parasympathetic nerve fibers. In addition, one of the axons identified contained small dense core vesicles typical of sympathetic nerve fibers. Human accessory lacrimal glands are therefore definitely innervated, with parasympathetic structures morphologically prevailing over sympathetic structures.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexander JH, Lennep EW van, Young JA (1972) Water and electrolyte secretion by the exorbital lacrimal gland of the rat studied by micropuncture and catheterization techniques. Pflugers Arch 337:299–309.
Bevan RA, Bevan RD, Duckles SP (1980) Adrenergic regulation of vascular smooth muscle. In: Bohr DF, Somlyo AP, Sparks HV (eds) Handbook of physiology, sect 2, vol 11. American Physiological Society, Bethesda,pp 515–566.
Burnstock G (1980) Cholinergic and purinergic regulation of blood vessels. In: Bohr DF, Somlyo AP, Sparks HV (eds) Handbook of physiology, sect 2, vol II. American Physiological Society, Bethesda, pp 567–612.
Dartt DA (1989) Signal transduction and control of lacrimal gland protein secretion: a review. Curr Eye Res 8:619–636.
Dartt DA (1991) Physiologie der Tränenerzeugung. In: Marquardt R, Lemp MA (eds) Das trockene Auge in Klinik und Praxis. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 65–100.
Gilbard JP, Rossi SR, Heyda KG, Dartt DA (1990) Stimulation of tear secretion by topical agents that increase cyclic nucleotide levels. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 31:1381–1388.
Gillette TE, Allansmith MR, Greiner JV, Janusz M (1980) Histologic and immunohistologic comparison of main and accessory lacrimal tissue. Am J Ophthalmol 89:724–730.
Iwamoto T, Jacobiec FA (1982) Lacrimal glands. In: Jacobiec FA (ed) Ocular anatomy, embryology and teratology. Harper & Row, Philadelphia, pp 761–781.
Jones LT (1966) The lacrimal tear system and its treatment. Am J Ophthalmol 62:47–60.
Jordan A, Baum J (1980) Basic tear flow: does it exist? Ophthalmology 87:920–930.
Karnovsky M (1965) A formaldehydeglutaraldehyde fixative of high osmolarity for use in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 27:137–138.
Kelleher RS, Hann LE, Edwards JA, Sullivan DA (1991) Endocrine, neural, and immune control of secretory component output by lacrimal gland acinar cells. J Immunol 146:3405–3412.
Kühnel W, Scheele G (1979) Zur Feinstruktur der Glandula lacrimalis des Schweines (Sus scropha L). Anat Anz 145:87–106.
Lehtosalo J, Uusitalo H, Mahrberg T, Panula P, Palkama A (1989) Nerve fibers showing immunoreactivities for proenkephalin A-derived peptides in the lacrimal glands of the guinea pig. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 227:455–458.
Matsumoto Y, Tanabe T, Ueda S, Kawata M (1992) Immunohistochemical and enzymehistochemical studies of peptidergic, aminergic and cholinergic innervation of the lacrimal gland of the monkey (Macaca fuscata). J Auton Nerv Syst 37:207–214.
Nikkinen A, Lehtosalo JI, Uusitalo H, Palkama A, Panula P (1984) The lacrimal glands of the rat and the guinea pig are innervated by nerve fibers containing immunoreactivities for substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. Histochemistry 81:23–27.
Nikkinen A, Uusitalo H, Lehtosalo JI, Palkama A (1985) Distribution of adrenergic nerves in the lacrimal glands of guinea pig and rat. Exp Eye Res 40:751–756.
Ruskell GL (1969) Changes in nerve terminals and acini of the lacrimal gland and changes in secretion induced by autonomic denervation. Z Zellforsch 94:261–281.
Ruskell GL (1975) Nerve terminals and epithelia] cell variety in the human lacrimal gland. Cell Tiss Res 158:121–136.
Scherz W, Dohlmann CH (1975) Is the lacrimal gland dispensable? Keratoconjunctivitis sicca after lacrimal gland removal. Arch Ophthalmol 93:281–283.
Scott TM, Pang SC (1983) The correlation between the development of sympathetic innervation and the development of medical hypertrophy in jejunal arteries in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. J Anton Nerv Syst 8:25–32.
Seifert P, Spitznas M, Koch F, Cusumano A (1993) The architecture of human accessory lacrimal glands. German J Ophthalmol 2:444–454.
Srinivasan BD, Jacobiec FA, Iwamoto T (1982) Conjunctiva. In: Jacobiec FA (ed) Ocular anatomy, embryology and teratology. Harper & Row, Philadelphia, pp 733–760.
Sullivan DA, Hann LE, Soo CH, Yee L, Edwards JA, Allansmith MR (1990–1991) Neural-immune interrelationship: effect of optic, sympathetic, temporofacial, or sensory denervation on the secretory immune system of the lacrimal gland. Reg Immunol 3:204–212.
Tsukahara S, Tanishima T (1974) Adrenergic and cholinergic innervation of the human lacrimal gland. Jpn J Ophthalmol 18:70–77.
Ueno T, Inuzuka S, Torimura K, Gondo K, Abe H, Tsutsumi V, Tanikawa K (1988) Intrinsic innervation of the human liver. J Clin Electron Microsc 21:481–491.
Vigneswaran N, Wilk CM, Heese A, Hornstein OP, Naumann GOH (1990) Immunohistochemical characterization of epithelial cells in human lacrimal glands. 1. Normal major and accessory lacrimal glands. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 228:58–64.
Walcott B (1990) Leuenkephalin-like immunoreactivity and the innervation of the rat exorbital gland. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci [Suppl] 31:44.
Walcott B, Cameron RH, Grine E, Roemer E, Brink PR (1992) Anti-muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-like immunoreactivity in lacrimal glands (abstract). International Conference on the Lacrimal Gland, Tear Film and Dry Eye Syndromes: Basic Science and Clinical Relevance 14–17 November 1992, Southhampton Parish, Bermuda.
Walcott B, McLean JR (1985) Catecholamine-containing neurons and lymphoid cells in a lacrimal gland of the pigeon. Brain Res 328:129–137.
Williams RM, Singh J, Sharkey KA (1992) Morphological differences in the innervation and mast cell density of the lacrimal gland in young and aged rats (abstract). International Conference on the Lacrimal Gland, Tear Film and Dry Eye Syndromes: Basic Science and Clinical Relevance. 14–17 November 1992; Southhampton Parish, Bermuda.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by “Aktion Kampf der Erblindung”
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Seifert, P., Spitznas, M. Demonstration of nerve fibers in human accessory lacrimal glands. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 232, 107–114 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00171672
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00171672