The Anatomy of the Ferret Paratracheal Parasympathetic Nerve-Ganglion Plexus

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Abstract
Silver-impregnated preparations of the ferret paratracheal nerve-ganglion plexus were studied for descriptions and quantitation of the general morphology of ganglia and nerve bundles and trunks. Most ganglia were found in 1 or 2 chains, separated by interganglionic nerve trunks, running the length of the trachea in close apposition to the trachealis muscle. Ganglia were flat, 1 cell deep, and characterized by irregular spacing and small and variable numbers of perikarya. Perifascicular, infrafascicular and mixed types of ganglia were seen. The mean perikaryon density was 127 .+-. 20/cm2 of trachealis muscle. In addition to connections to the interganglionic nerve trunk, > 70% of ganglia were also apparently connected to nerve bundles running to the periphery and/or the center of the preparation, and the plexus seemed considerably more complex than originally described. There was no significant change in density, size or type, or connections of ganglia with nerve bundles in the cervical or thoracic trachea.