Morphologic pattern of the intrinsic ganglionated nerve plexus in mouse heart

Abstract

Summary BACKGROUND Both normal and genetically modified mice are excellent models to investigate molecular mechanisms of arrhythmogenic cardiac diseases that may associate with an imbalance between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous input to the heart. OBJECTIVE We sought to: (1) determine the structural organization of the mouse cardiac neural plexus; (2) identify extrinsic neural sources and their relationship with the cardiac plexus; and (3) reveal any anatomical differences in the cardiac plexus between mouse and other species. METHODS Cardiac nerve structures were visualized employing histochemical staining for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) on whole heart and thorax-dissected preparations derived from 25 mice. To confirm reliability of staining parasympathetic and sympathetic neural components in the mouse heart we applied a histochemical method for AChE and imunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and/or choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) on whole mounts preparations from 6 mice. RESULTS The double immunohistochemical labeling of TH and ChAT on AChE positive neural elements in mouse whole mounts demonstrated equal staining of nerves and ganglia for AChE that were positive for both TH and ChAT. The extrinsic cardiac nerves access the mouse heart at the right (RCV) and left (LCV) cranial veins and interblend within the ganglionated nerve plexus of the heart hilum that is persistently localized on the heart base. Nerves and bundles of nerve fibers extend epicardially from this plexus to atria and ventricles by left dorsal, dorsal right atrial, right ventral, and ventral left atrial routes or subplexuses. The RCV received extrinsic nerves mainly originated from the right cervicothoracic ganglion and a branch of the right vagus nerve, while the LCV was supplied by extrinsic nerves from the left cervicothoracic ganglion and the left vagus nerve. The majority of intrinsic cardiac ganglia were localized on the heart base at the roots of pulmonary veins. These ganglia were interlinked by interganglionic nerves into the above mentioned nerve plexus of the heart hilum. In general, the examined hearts contained 19 ± 3 ganglia, which gave a cumulative ganglion area of 0.4 ± 0.1 mm2. CONCLUSION Despite substantial anatomical differences in ganglion number and distribution, the structural organization of the intrinsic ganglionated plexus in the mouse heart corresponds in general to other mammalian species, including human.

Autonomic cardiac nerves: literature review

“…A similar location of cardiac ganglia was described by Maifrino et al [38]. In a study on mice, Rysevaite et al [56] also found the presence of ganglia spread in the immediate vicinity of the vena cava and the pulmonary veins. However, they found no ganglia around the coronary groove.…”

“…Since then, the problem has been studied and described for many amphibian, reptile, bird, and mammal species. Such strong interest in cardiac nerve structures is due to their important function: they regulate the function of the cardiac conduction system, the heart rhythm, and coronary circulation [56,65].…”

“…Rodents usually have 20-30 ganglia; for example midday gerbils, Egyptian spiny mice, and chinchillas have about 30 ganglia [34]. Rysevaite et al [56] found 20 ganglia (formed by about 1,100 neuronal somata) in mice, while Ai et al [1] found only 18 ganglia. Leger et al [36] found over 1,500 neurons creating ganglia in the heart of the guinea pig, of which 85% were formed by 20 neurons.…”

Systematic and comparative morphologies of the extrinsic cardiac nervous system in lemurs (Primates: Strepsirrhini: Infraorder Lemuriformes, Gray, 1821) with evolutionary morphological implications

“…Experimental and developmental studies of the autonomic cardiac nervous system have also been conducted in animals such as the mouse, rat, rabbit, chick, and dog (Armour et al, 1972;Benítez et al, 1959;Brack et al, 2011;Gomez, 1958;Haws and Burgess, 1978;Hildreth et al, 2008Hildreth et al, , 2009Kirby et al, 1980;Kuratani et al, 1991;Kuratani and Tanaka, 1990;Levy et al, 1966;Mabe and Hoover, 2011;Meyer et al, 2010;Mizeres, 1955Mizeres, , 1957Mizeres, , 1958Mizuno et al, 2010;Oliveira et al, 2010;Roberts, 1991;Schwartz, 2010;Scherlag et al, 2011;Shaner, 1930;Shoba and Tay, 2000;Uchida et al, 2010;Verberne et al, 1998). However, huge differences in the cardiac nervous system between humans and the experimental animals have been recognized (Batulevicius et al, 2003;Brugnaro et al, 2003;Kawashima, 2011;McKibben and Getty, 1968;Rysevaite et al, 2011;Pauza et al, 2002a,b). A through understanding of primate morphology is important because the primate ancestor diverged from the ancestor of the rodents, which includes the main experimental animals such as the rat, mouse, and rabbit.…”

Características estruturais e estereológicas do plexo cardíaco de camundongos expostos à poluição ambiental

“…A situação dos gânglios do plexo cardíaco de camundongos no tecido adiposo subepicárdico respeita o descrito para outros mamíferos, como o rato, o porco, o cão a ovelha e o homem (Davies et al, 1952;King e Coakley, 1958;Yuan et al, 1994;Armour et al, 1997, Hopkins, 2000Batulevicius et al, 2003, Saburkina, 2010Rysevaite et al, 2011). Na presente pesquisa foi possível detectar dois tipos Quando se avalia, na literatura, a disposição dos gânglios do plexo cardíaco, observa-se que uma série de trabalhos faz referência à sua distribuição sem, contudo, realizarem mensurações morfométricas (Pardini et al, 1987;Wallis et al, 1996;Singh et al, 1996;De Souza et al, 1996;Batulevicus et al,2003;Maifrino et al,2006;Gama et al,2010 (Wallis et al, 1996;Armour et al, 1997;Batulevicus et al, 2003;Jurgaitiené et al, 2004), enquanto que os pesquisadores que utilizaram contagem de preparados de membrana descrevem uma menor quantidade dessas células (De Souza et al, 1996 (NADH e AChE Histoquímica); Maifrino et al, 2006 (NADPH-diaphorase); Gama et al, 2010 (β-NADH diaphorase); Rysevaite et al, 2011 (Acetyltransferase -ChAT , 1997;Furlan et al, 1999;Miranda-Neto et al, 2000).…”