Summary
Two postganglionic branches of the superior cervical ganglion enter the area of the carotid bifurcation in the rabbit and the cat. The common and external carotid arteries receive a rich adrenergic nerve supply, which can be demonstrated by fluorophores of biogenic amines appearing after formaldehyde treatment. The internal carotid artery is only sparsely innervated; however, it shows a dense sympathetic supply at the site of pressor receptors. Following removal of the superior cervical ganglion, a total loss of fluorescent adrenergic nerves occurs and degeneration of nerve endings possessing dense core vesicles is conspicuous. These nerve terminals are situated mainly subendothelially in the carotid body sinusoids; they only rarely terminate on type I cells.
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Knoche, H., Kienecker, E.W. Sympathetic innervation of the carotid bifurcation in the rabbit and cat: Blood vessels, carotid body and carotid sinus. Cell Tissue Res. 184, 103–112 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220530
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220530