Slow and incomplete sympathetic reinnervation of rat tail artery restores the amplitude of nerve-evoked contractions provided a perivascular plexus is present

We have investigated the recovery of sympathetic control following reinnervation of denervated rat tail arteries by relating the reappearance of noradrenergic terminals to the amplitude of nerve-evoked contractions of isometrically mounted artery segments in vitro. We have also assessed reactivity to vasoconstrictor agonists. Freezing the collector nerves near the base of the tail in adult rats denervated the artery from ∼40 mm along the tail. Restoration of the perivascular plexus declined along the length of the tail, remaining incomplete for >6 mo. After 4 mo, nerve-evoked contractions were prolonged but of comparable amplitude to control at ∼60 mm along the tail; they were smaller at ∼110 mm. At ∼60 mm, facilitation of contractions to short trains of stimuli by the norepinephrine transporter blocker, desmethylimipramine, and by the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, idazoxan, was reduced in reinnervated arteries. Blockade of nerve-evoked contractions by the α1-adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin, was less and by idazoxan greater than control after 8 wk but similar to control after 16 wk. Sensitivity of reinnervated arteries to the α1-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine, was raised in the absence but not in the presence of desmethylimipramine. Sensitivity to the α2-adrenoceptor agonist, clonidine, was maintained in 16-wk reinnervated arteries when it had declined in controls. Thus regenerating sympathetic axons have a limited capacity to reinnervate the rat tail artery, but nerve-evoked contractions match control once a relatively sparse perivascular plexus is reestablished. Functional recovery involves prolongation of contractions and deficits in both clearance of released norepinephrine and autoinhibition of norepinephrine release.

Intramural neural elements in components of the carotid bifurcation

✓ The histology of the specialized region of the carotid bifurcation in man was studied with Orcein stain for elastic tissue, Masson's trichrome for muscle and connective tissue, and Bodian's silver method for neural elements. Four distinct regions exist: the common carotid, which appears to be solely a conduit; the carotid sinus, which is thin and very elastic with its baroreceptors in the medial wall; the external carotid, which is highly muscular and presumably active; and the internal carotid, also highly muscular and presumably active. The transition between zones is abrupt. Prominent clusters of up to 30 or 40 multipolar nerve cells, 15 to 25 µ in diameter, were found in the subintimal region of the internal carotid artery, some in the common, and a few in the external carotid. Occasional rounder cells of similar size with only one process were seen, possibly of sensory type. No cell bodies were seen in the adventitia of any vessel. No relation to the perivascular plexus was established. It is speculated that the neurons may be related to the reported local differential response to environment by the internal and external carotid systems.