Summary
Following superior cervical ganglionectomy the noradrenaline tissue levels in the base of the rabbit external ear started to decrease after about 12 hours. About 4 hours later noradrenaline started to decrease about simultaneously in the middle piece and in the tip. Within 24 hours after ganglionectomy the noradrenaline decreased rapidly in all three pieces. Thereafter the noradrenaline of the base piece was levelling off at about 15% of the normal whereas the noradrenaline in the two other pieces remained at about 40% of the normal. The results indicate that the adrenergic innervation of the ear is complex, but that the base piece is supplied with adrenergic axons that are shorter than those of the middle and tip pieces. Based on 1: the delay of 4 hours observed in the pattern of the noradrenaline disappearance between the base and the two other pieces, and II: the differences in distance between the three pieces of the ear and the superior cervical ganglion, a transport rate of a “protecting factor” could be discussed to be about 1–2 cm/h. The rate of axonal transport of dopamine-β-hydroxylase in the rabbit sciatic nerve, was found to be within the same range, being about 2 cm/h.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Almgren, 0., Dahlström, A., Häggendal, J.: Degeneration secretion and noradrenaline disappearance in rat salivary glands following proximal or distal axotomy. Acta Physiol. Scand.98, 457–464 (1976).
Bârâny, E. H., Treister, G.: Time relations of degeneration mydriasis and degeneration vasoconstriction in the rabbit ear after sympathetic denervation. Effect of bretylium. Acta Physiol. Scand.80, 79–92 (1970 a).
Bârâny, E. H., Treister, G.: Release of a smooth-muscle-active substance besides noradrenaline from degenerating sympathetic terminals in the rabbit eye. Acta Physiol. Scand.79, 287–288 (1970 b).
Bareggi, S., Dahlström, A., Häggendal, J.: Intra-axonal transport and degeneration of adrenergic nerve terminals after axotomy with long and short nerve stump. Medical Biology52, 327–335 (1974).
Bertler, Å., Carlsson, A., Rosengren, E.: A method for the fluorimetric determination of adrenaline and noradrenaline in tissues. Acta Physiol. Scand.44, 273–292 (1958).
Birks, R., Katz, B., Miledi, R.: Physiological and structural changes at the amphibian myoneural junction in the course of nerve degeneration. J. Physiol. (Lond.)150, 145–168 (1960).
Coats, D. A., Emmelin, N.: The short-term effects of sympathetic ganglionectomy on the cat's salivary secretion. J. Physiol. (Lond.)162, 282–288 (1962).
Dahlström, A., Häggendal, J.: Studies on the transport and life-span of amine storage granules in the adrenergic neuron system of the rabbit sciatic nerve. Acta Physiol. Scand.69, 153–157 (1967).
Emmelin, N.: Submaxillary and sublingual secretion in cats during degeneration of post-ganglionic parasympathetic fibres. J. Physiol. (Lond.)162, 270–281 (1962).
Emmelin, N.: Parotid secretion after cutting the auriculo-temporal nerve at different levels. J. Physiol. (Lond.)188, 44–45 (1967).
Emmelin, N.: Degeneration secretion from parotid glands after section of the auriculo-temporal nerves at different levels. J. Physiol. (Lond.)195, 407–418 (1968).
Emmelin, N., Ohlin, P.: Skin temperature of the rabbit ear during degeneration of its sympathetic nerve supply. Quart. J. Exp. Physiol.54, 207–210 (1969).
Emmelin, N., Strömblad, B. C. R.: Sensitization of the submaxillary gland above the level reached after section of the chorda tympani. Acta Physiol. Scand.38, 319–330 (1957).
Emmelin, N., Strömblad, B. C. R.: A “paroxysmal” secretion of saliva following parasympathetic denervation of the parotid gland. J. Physiol. (Lond.)143, 506–514 (1958).
Emmelin, N., Trendelenburg, U.: Degeneration activity after parasympathetic or sympathetic denervation. Rev. Physiol.66, 147–211 (1972).
Feldberg, W.: The peripheral innervation of the vessels of the external ear of the rabbit. J. Physiol. (Lond.)61, 518–529 (1926).
Häggendal, J.: An improved method for fluorimetric determination of small amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline in plasma and tissues. Acta Physiol. Scand.59, 242–254 (1963).
Häggendal, J.: Axonal transport of dopamine-β-hydroxylase to rat salivary glands: studies on enzymatic activity. J. Neural Transm.47, 163–174 (1980).
Häggendal, J., Dahlström, A.: The time course of noradrenaline decrease in rat spinal cord following transection. Neuropharm.12, 349–354 (1973).
Häggendal, J., Dahlström, A., Saunders, N.: Axonal transport and acetylcholine in rat preganglionic neurons. Brain Res.58, 494–499 (1973).
Häggendal, J., Dahlström, A., Larsson, P.: Rapid transport of noradrenaline in adrenergic axons of rat sciatic nerve distal to a crush. Acta Physiol. Scand.94, 386–392 (1975).
Harris, J. B., Thesleff, S.: Nerve stump length and membrane changes in denervated skeletal muscle. Nature (Lond.)236, 60–61 (1972).
Hökfelt, T., Lundberg, J., Schultzberg, M., Johansson, O., Ljungdahl, Å., Rehfeld, J.: Coexistence of peptides and putative transmitters in neurons. In: Neural peptides and neuronal communication (Adv. in Biochem. Psychopharmacol., Vol. 22) (Costa, E., Trabucchi, M., eds.), pp. 1–23. New York: Raven Press. 1980.
Langer, S. Z.: The degeneration contraction of the nictitating membrane in the unanesthetized cat. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.151, 66–72 (1966).
Lundberg, D.: Adrenergic neuron blockers and transmitter release after sympathetic denervation studied in the conscious rat. Acta Physiol. Scand.75, 415–426 (1969).
Nagatsu, T., Udenfriend, S.: Photometric assay of dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity in human blood. Clin. Chem.18, 980–983 (1972).
Nordenfelt, I.: Acetylcholine metabolism in salivary glands during the “degeneration secretion”. Quart. J. Exp. Physiol.49, 103–111 (1964).
Ohlin, P.: Secretion of saliva in the rabbit after postganglionic parasympathetic denervation. Experientia (Basel)19, 156 (1963).
Van Orden, L. S., Bensch, K. G., Langer, S. Z., Trendelenburg, U.: Histochemical and fine structural aspects of the onset of denervation supersensitivity in the nictitating membrane of the spinal cat. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.157, 274–283 (1967).
Smith, C. B., Trendelenburg, U., Langer, S. Z., Tsai, T. H.: The relation of retenion of norepinephrine-H3 to the norepinephrine content of the nictitating membrane of the spinal cat during development of denervation supersensitivity. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.151, 87–94 (1966).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bültzingslöwen, I.E.V., Häggendal, J. Disappearance of noradrenaline from different parts of the rabbit external ear following superior cervical ganglionectomy. J. Neural Transmission 56, 117–126 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01243271
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01243271