Monoaminergic Innervation of the Mammal Heart as Studied with the Fluorescence Microscope.

The monoaminergic innervation of the mammal (ox, monkey, dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, rat and mouse) heart was studied by a histochemical fluorescence technique. The number and distribution of monoaminergic nerve terminal was greater in the atria than in the ventricles of the heart of mammals. Fluorescence histochemical studies of the mammal heart conducting system have shown the density of monoaminergic nerve terminals to be highest in the sino-atrial node, followed in order by atrio-ventricular node, atrio-ventricular bundle and false tendons. The plexus was so extensive that the majority of sino-atrial nodal cells appeared to be innervated. The innervation to the Purkinje cell in the false tendons from both the right and left ventricle of mammals except for ox was of low density and a large number of cells seemed to have no contact at all with the monoaminergic terminals. In the cases of 6hrs after reserpine administration, fluorescent nerve fibers had disappeared from all mammal heart. In cases in which L-DOPA oder nialamide was administered 3-5hrs before killing, fluorescent nerve fibers in mammal heart gave an intensified fluroescence together with the increased number of fluorescent fine varicose nerve fibers. After right and left stellate ganglionectomy, histochemical determinations showed a decrease in monoaminergic nerve content both right and left atria, in both right and left ventricle, and heart conduction system

Electron Microscopic Study on Nerve Endings in the Sinus Node of the Heart

The sinus node of the canine heart contains numerous autonomic nerve fibers. All of these are unmyelinated fibers associated with the cytoplasm of Schwann cell. The axon terminals, however, are devoid of such processes and are separated from the myocardial cells by an unusually wide space. In these naked nerve ending, 3 types of vesicles are observed: small granular vesicles, large granular vesicles, and agranular vesicles. The distribution of the vesicles by KMnO(4)-fixation has enabled us to classify autonomic nerve endings into 3 categories

Structural deterioration of finger joints with ultrasonographic synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis patients with clinical low disease activity

Objective. In this study we investigated the relationship between synovial vascularity (SV) and structural alteration of finger joints in patients with RA and long-term sustained clinical low disease activity (CLDA). Methods. RA patients with CLDA of >2 years (minimum 1 year of CLDA for study entry plus 1 year of observation) were analysed. Quantitative SV values were sequentially measured in each finger joint using power Doppler ultrasonography (0, 8, 20 and 52 weeks). Radiological progression of local finger joints was evaluated according to the Genant-modified Sharp score (0-52 weeks). Results. Of the 25 patients enrolled, 15 patients were finally analysed after excluding 10 patients who failed to maintain CLDA during the observational period. Changes in radiological progression of MCP and PIP joints with positive SV were significantly greater than those in joints with negative SV. Joint space narrowing (JSN) was strongly related to structural alteration of finger joints. In joints with positive SV, changes in structural alteration did not relate to total SV values, which reflect total exposure to inflammation in an observational period. Conclusion. Even in patients with a long period of CLDA, finger joints with positive SV showed structural alteration, especially in the progression of JSN