EXPERIMENTAL DEGENERATION OF INTRA-EPITHELIAL NERVE-FIBERS IN CAT AIRWAYS

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 128  (MAR) , 259-267
Abstract
The effect of unilateral cervical infra-nodose vagal nerve section in cats on the ultrastructure and concentration of airway intra-epithelial nerve fibers was studied. Cats (4) were used, each having the right vagal and superior laryngeal nerves cut. On either the 5th or 12th post-operative days the cats were sacrificed and their airways fixed and processed for EM. The tracheal segments were cut sagitally into halves: the left half and the left hilar bronchus were used as controls for the complementary right half of the trachea and right hilar bronchus, respectively. The nerve fiber number were counted and their ultrastructural features examined in each tissue sample. A significant reduction in the number of intra-epithelial nerve fibers was found on the denervated side, degeneration being more complete at the hilus than in the trachea. Cellular inclusions resembling degenerating axons were observed, especially on the denervated side, and their ultrastructure was described. The functional significance of these findings was discussed.