Skip to main content
Log in

Sympathetic innervation of the human leg arteries

  • Published:
Virchows Archiv A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Sympathetic innervation of the human main leg arteries was morphologically investigated by the Formaldehyde-induced fluorescence method of Falck and the silver-impregnation method of Bodian. The following points were established:

  1. 1.

    There is a compact fine-meshed nerve-net directly on the surface of the media.

  2. 2.

    In the dorsal pedal, the anterior tibial, the peroneal, the posterior tibial, and the femoral artery, fine unmyelinated nerve fibers which run on the surface of the media penetrate constantly into the extreme outer layer of the media together with elastic and collagenous elements of the adventitia.

  3. 3.

    There is no difference in the innervation mode of the media of various leg arteries.

  4. 4.

    It seems that there is no correlation between the innervation of the arterial wall and the morbidity difference in the chronic arterial occlusive diseases of leg arteries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ábrahám, A.: Struktur und Endigungsformen der Fasern des Nervus aorticus im Aortenbogen des Schweins. Z. mikro.-anat. Forsch. 67, 409–426 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Appenzeller, O.: Electron microscopic study of the innervation of the auricular artery in the rat. J. Anat. (Lond.) 98, 87–91 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Aronson, S., Gennser, G., Owman, Ch., Sjöberg, N.O.: Innervation and contractile response of the human ductus arteriosus. Europ. J. Pharmacology 11, 178–186 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bodian, D.: A new method for staining nerve fibers and nerve endings in mounted paraffin sections. Anat. Rec., 65, 89–97 (1936)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brettschneider, H.: Elektronenmikroskopische Studien zur vegetativen GefÄ\innervation. Erg. H. z. Bd. 112 (1963) d. Anat. Anz., 54–68 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Busch, E.: Studies on the nerves of the blood vessels, with special reference to periarterial sympathectomy. Acta path. scand., Supplementum 2, 1–186 (1929)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, Y.M.: A histological study on the afferent innervation of the large blood vessels. Arch. Jap. Chir. 26, 75–94 (1957)

    Google Scholar 

  • Corrodi, H., Hillarp, N.-å., Jonsson, G.: Fluorescence methods for the histochemical demonstration of monoamines, 3. Sodium borohydride reduction of the fluorescent compounds as a specificity test. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 12, 582–586 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • DoleŽel, S.: Histochemical Identification of Monoamine in the Arterial Wall. Experientia (Basel) 22, 307 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehinger, B., Falck, B., Sporrong, B.: Adrenergic fibers to the heart and to peripheral vessels. Symp. electr. Activ. Innerv. Blood Vessels Cambridge 1966; Bibl. anat., 8, 35–45 (Basel/New York: Karger, 1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Falck, B.: Observations on the Possibilities of the Cellular Localization of Monoamines by a Fluorescence Method. Acta Physiol. Scand. 56, Suppl. 197, 1–25 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fux, K., Sedvall, G.: The Distribution of Adrenergic Nerve Fibers to the Blood Vessels in Skeletal Muscle. Acta physiol. scand. 64, 75–86 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerová, M., Gero, J., DoleŽel, S.: Mechnisms of Sympathetic Regulation of Arterial Smooth Muscle. Experientia (Basel) 23, 639–640 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hachisuka, K.: Histopathological studies on the nerve fibers in the vascular wall in thromboangiitis obliterans. Nagoya J. Med. Sci. 21, 190–204 (1958)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagen, E.: Mikroskopische Beobachtungen über die Innervation der GefÄ\e in der Substanz des menschlichen Zwischenhirns und in der Pia mater. Z. Anat. EntwGesch. 118, 223–235 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasse, H.M.: Statistische Daten über die HÄufigkeit von Arterienverschlüssen. Lokalisierende Faktoren für Arterien- und Venenverschlüsse. 3. Angiologisches Symposion-Kitzbühel, vom 14. bis 16. Juni 1968. Verhandlungsbericht bearbeitet von W. Rotter, H. Kief u. D. Gross. S. 9–16, Stuttgart-New York: Schattauer 1970

    Google Scholar 

  • Knoche, H.: über die feinere Innervation der Arteria Uterina des Menschen. Z. Zellforsch. 37, 205–239 (1952)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, J.: Mikroskopische Anatomie der Arterien. Int. Symp. Morphologie Histochemie GefÄ\wand, Fribourg 1965. Teil I/Angiologica 2, 225–284 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lever, J.D., Graham, J.D.P., Spriggs, T.L.B.: Electron Microscopy of Nerves in Relation to the Arteriolar Wall. Symp. electr. Activ. Innerv. Blood Vessels, Cambridge 1966; Bibl. anat. 8, 51–55 (Basel/New York: Karger 1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Owman, Ch., Nielsen, K.C., Sporrong, B.: Fluorescence microscopic, electron microscopic, and pharmacological studies on autonomic innervation of pial arteries. Exp. Cell Res. 67, 254–255 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiser, K.A.: über die Endausbreitung des vegetativen Nervensystems. Z. Zellforsch., 17, 610–641 (1933)

    Google Scholar 

  • Seifert, K.: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen der Aorta des Kaninchens. Z. Zellforsch. 60, 293–312 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsunekawa, K., Mohri, K., Ikeda, M., Ohgushi, N., Fujiwara, M.: Histochemical demonstration of adrenergic fibers in the smooth muscle layer of dorsal-pedal artery in dog. Experientia (Basel) 23, 842–843 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Verity, M.A., Bevan, J.A.: A Morphopharmacologic Study of Vascular Smooth Muscle Innervation. Symp. electr. Activ. Innerv. Blood Vessels, Cambridge 1966; Bibl. anat. 8, 60–65 (Basel/New York: Karger 1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt, J.K.: Pattern of aorto-iliac occlusion. Brit. Med. J., 1966 II, 979–981

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

I wish to acknowledge the kind help of Prof. Dr. W. Doerr and Prof. Dr. Laubach.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Matsubara, J. Sympathetic innervation of the human leg arteries. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 376, 343–351 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432303

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432303

Key words

Navigation