Summary
Air-dried stretch preparations were used to study adrenergic nerve fibres and catecholamine-containing cells with the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence method in the abdominal tissue block containing the para-aortic paraganglia, in the neurovascular structures of the cervical region including the carotid body, in the bladder, in the ileum, in the mesentery, in the vagus nerve and in the sympathetic ganglia of 5- or 15-day-old rats. The adrenergic nerves and the catecholamine-containing cells were well preserved and showed little or no diffusion of amines. While most intensely fluorescent cells of the main para-aortic body disappeared during the first two postnatal weeks, some such cells survived and they showed long, slender fluorescent processes. Administration of 20 mg/kg of hydrocortisone acetate daily for 5 days after birth caused a striking increase in the number and size of the clusters of the intensely fluorescent cells in the organ of Zuckerkandl, in the sympathetic ganglia and in the bladder, as well as an increase in the fluorescence intensity of the carotid body. In rats treated with hydrocortisone for 5 days and left to recover for 10 days an increased fluorescence was still observed. However, in the organ of Zuckerkandl the intensely fluorescent cells of hydrocortisone-treated 15-day-old rats showed less processes than those of the control rats of the same age.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Axelrod, J.: Methylation reactions in the formation and metabolism of catecholamines and other biogenic amines. Pharmacol. Rev.18, 95–113 (1966)
Björklund, A., Cegrell, L., Falck, B., Ritzen, M., Rosengren, E.: Dopamine-containing cells in sympathetic ganglia. Acta physiol. stand.78, 334–338 (1970)
Ciaranello, R.D., Jacobowitz, D., Axelrod, J.: Effect of dexamethasone on phenyl-ethanolamine N-methyltransferase in chromaffin tissue of the neonatal rat. J. Neurochem.20, 799–805 (1973)
Costa, M., Eränkö, O., Eränkö, L.: Hydrocortisone-induced increase in the histochemically demonstrable catecholamine content of the sympathetic neurons of the newborn rat. Brain Res. (in press) (1973)
Costa, M., Furness, J.B.: Observations on the anatomy and amine histochemistry of the nerves and ganglia which supply the pelvic viscera and on the associated chromaffin tissue in the guinea pig. Z. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch.140, 85–108 (1973)
Costa, M., Gabella, G.: Adrenergic innervation of the alimentary canal. Z. Zellforsch.122, 357–377 (1971)
Coupland, R. E.: Electron microscopic observations on the structure of the rat adrenal medulla. J. Anat. (Lond.)99, 231–254 (1965)
Ehinger, B., Falck, B., Persson, H., Sporring, B.: Adrenergic and cholinesterase-containing neurons of the heart. Histochémie16, 197–205 (1968)
El-Badawi, A., Schenk, E.: Dual innervation of the mammalian urinary bladder. Amer. J. Anat.119, 405–428 (1966)
Elfvin, L. G.: The fine structure of the cell surface of chromaffin cells in the rat adrenal medulla. J. Ultrastruct. Res.12, 263–286 (1965)
Eränkö, L.: Postnatal development of histochemically demonstrable catecholamines in the superior cervical ganglion of the rat. Histochem. J.4, 225–236 (1972a)
Eränkö, L.: Ultrastructure of the developing sympathetic nerve cell and the storage of catecholamines. Brain Res.46, 159–175 (1972b)
Eränkö, L., Eränkö, O.: Effect of hydrocortisone on histochemically demonstrable catecholamines in the sympathetic ganglia and extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue of the rat. Acta physiol. stand.84, 125–133 (1972)
Eränkö, O., Eränkö, L.: Small, intensely fluorescent granule-containing cells in the sympathetic ganglion of the rat. In: Histochemistry of nervous transmission. Progr. Brain Res.34, 39–51 (1971)
Eränkö, O., Eränkö, L.: Small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells in vivo and in vitro. In: Front. Catecholamine Res. (in press) (1973)
Eränkö, O., Härkönen, M.: Histochemical demonstration of fluorogenic amines in the cytoplasm of sympathetic ganglion cells of the rat. Acta physiol. stand.58, 285–286 (1963)
Eränkö, O., Härkönen, M.: Monoamine-containing small cells in the superior cervical ganglion of the rat and an organ composed of them. Acta physiol. stand.63, 511–512 (1965)
Eränkö, O., Heath, J. W., Eränkö, L.: Effect of hydrocortisone on the ultrastructure of the small, intensely fluorescent, granule-containing cells in cultures of sympathetic ganglia of newborn rats. Z. Zellforsch.134, 297–310 (1972)
Eränkö, O., Heath, J.W., Eränkö, L.: Effect of hydrocortisone on the ultrastructure of the small, granule-containing cells in the superior cervical ganglion of the newborn rat. Experientia (Basel)29, 457–459 (1973)
Eränkö, O., Lempinen, M., Räisänen, L.: Adrenaline and noradrenaline in the organ of Zuckerkandl and adrenals of newborn rats treated with hydrocortisone. Acta physiol. stand.66, 253–254 (1966)
Falck, B.: Observations on the possibilities of the cellular localization of monoamines by a fluorescence method. Acta physiol. stand.56, Suppl. 197 (1962)
Furness, J.B., Malmfors, T.: Aspects of the arrangement of the adrenergic innervation in guinea-pigs as revealed by the fluorescence histochemical method applied to stretched, air dried preparations. Histochemie25, 297–309 (1971)
Gabella, G., Costa, M.: Le fibre adrenergiche nel canale alimentare. G. Accad. Med. Torino130, 198–217 (1967)
Gabella, G., Costa, M.: Sulla presenza de particolari cellulare a catecholamine (S.I.F. cells) cellule lungo il nervo vago. Boll. Soc. Ital. Biol. Sperim.44, 1656–1657 (1968)
Gabella, G., Costa, M.: Distribution of adrenergic fibres in the small intestine of the newborn guinea-pig. Panminerva med.2, 407–409 (1969)
Hökfelt, T.: Distribution of noradrenaline storing particles in peripheral adrenergic neurons as revealed by electron microscopy. Acta physiol. stand.76, 427–440 (1969)
Jacobowitz, D.: Histochemical studies of the relationship of chromaffin cells and adrenergic nerve fibres to the cardiac ganglia of several species. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther.158, 227–240 (1967)
Kanerva, L.: Development, histochemistry and connections of the paracervical (Frankenhäuser) ganglia of the rat uterus. Acta Inst. anat. Univ. Helsinki., Suppl.2 (1972)
Lempinen, M.: Extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue of the rat and the effect of cortical hormones on it. Acta physiol. stand.62, Suppl. 231 (1964)
Mascorro, J.A., Yates, R.: Microscopic observations on abdominal sympathetic paraganglia. Texas Rep. Biol. Med.28, 59–68 (1970)
Matthews, M. R., Raisman, G.: The ultrastructure and somatic efferent synapses of small granule-containing cells in the superior cervical ganglion. J. Anat. (Lond.)105, 255–282 (1969)
Moppert, J.: Zur Ultrastruktur der phaeochromen Zellen im Nebennierenmark der Ratte. Z. Zellforsch.74, 32–44 (1966)
Norberg, K. A., Hamberger, B.: The sympathetic adrenergic neuron. Acta physiol. scand.63, Suppl. 238 (1964)
Norberg, K. A., Ritzen, M., Ungerstedt, U.: Histochemical studies on a special catecholamine-containing cell type in sympathetic ganglia. Acta physiol. scand.67, 260–270 (1966)
Olson, L.: Fluorescence histochemical evidence for axonal growth and secretion from transplanted adrenal medullary tissue. Histochemie22, 1–7 (1970)
Orden, L. S. van III, Burke, J. P., Geyer, M., Lodoen, F. V.: Localization of depletionsensitive and depletion-resistant norepinephrine storage sites in autonomic ganglia. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther.174, 56–71 (1970)
Owman, C., Sjöstrand, N.O.: Short adrenergic neurons and catecholamine-containing cells in vas deferens and accessory male genital glands of different mammals. Z. Zellforsch.66, 300–320 (1965)
Roffi, J.: Influence de la corticosurrénale sur le contenue en adrénaline et noradrénaline de la surrénale, chez le foetus de Rat. C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris)260, 1267–1270 (1965)
Roffi, J., Margolis, F.: Synthèse d'adrénaline dans le tissue chromaffine extrasurrénalien, chez le Rat nouveau-né, sous l'effect de l'hydrocortisone ou de la corticostimuline. C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris)263, 1496–1499 (1966)
Siegrist, G., Dolivo, M., Dunant, Y., Foroglou-Kerameus, C., Ribaupierre, F. de, Rouiller, C.: Ultrastructure and function of the chromaffin cells in the superior cervical ganglion of the rat. J. Ultrastruct. Res.25, 381–407 (1968)
Siegrist, G., Ribaupierre, F. de, Dolivo, M., Rouiller, C.: Les cellules chromaffines des ganglions cervical superieurs du Rat. J. Microscopie5, 791–794 (1966)
Tamarind, D. L., Quilliam, J. P.: Synaptic organisation and other ultrastructural features of the superior cervical ganglion of the rat, kitten and rabbit. Micron2, 204–234 (1971)
Taxi, J., Goutron, J., L'Hermite, P.: Données ultrastructurales sur une éventuelle modulation adrénergique de l'activité du ganglion cervical supérieur du Rat. C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris)269, 1281–1284 (1969)
Williams, T. H., Palay, S. L.: Ultrastructure of the small neurons in the superior cervical ganglion. Brain Res.15, 17–34 (1969)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Sigrid Jusélius Foundation Research Fellow in the Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, April–July 1973. Reprint requests to Professor 0. Eränkö in the Helsinki address.
The authors are greatly indebted to Dr. Daniela Costa for skilled help in the preparation of the illustrative material and the manuscript. — This work was supported by research grants from the Emil Aaltonen Foundation (to L. E.) and the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation (to O. E.).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Costa, M., Eränkö, L. & Eränkö, O. Effect of hydrocortisone on the extra-adrenal intensely fluorescent chromaffin and non-chromaffin cells in stretch preparations of the newborn rat. Z.Zellforsch 146, 565–578 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02347184
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02347184