Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reinnervation following guanethidine-induced sympathectomy of adult rats

  • Published:
Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

The reinnervation of various tissues by autonomic neurons has been studied in adult rats which had been sympathectomized by chronic guanethidine treatment (30 or 60 mg/kg/day for 8–15 weeks). In the heart, iris, ileum, mesentery, vas deferens and epididymis, fluorescence histochemistry reveals an almost complete disappearance of adrenergic fibres which is very longlasting. Even after 63 weeks few fluorescent fibres can be seen in these tissues and the density of innervation is not increased by incubation in α-methylnoradrenaline. The superior cervical ganglion represents an exception; large numbers of fluorescent fibres but few fluorescent ganglion cells were apparent during recovery. Axon counts carried out by electron microscopy on the vas deferens showed that after recovery for one year the number of axons was similar to that of controls; however, the pattern of innervation was abnormal, small granular vesicles were rarely seen and there was little uptake of 5-hydroxydopamine. On the basis of this evidence and of some pharmacological data it is suggested that there is a limited reinnervation by adrenergic axons accompanied by a great increase in the number of non-adrenergic, possibly cholinergic, axons.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angeletti, P. U. andLevi-Montalcini, R. (1970) Sympathetic nerve cell destruction in newborn mammals by 6-hydroxydopamine.Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (U.S.A.) 65, 114–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkowitz, B. A., Spector, S. andTarver, J. H. (1972) Resistance of noradrenaline in blood vessels to depletion by 6-hydroxydopamine or immunosympathectomy.British Journal of Pharmacology 44, 10–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burnstock, G., Evans, B., Cannon, B. J., Heath, J. W. andJames, V. (1971) A new method of destroying adrenergic nerves in adult animals using guanethidine.British Journal of Pharmacology 43, 295–301.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burnstock, G. andIwayama, T. (1971) Fine structural identification of autonomic nerves and their relation to smooth muscle.Progress in Brain Research 34, 389–404.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Champlain, J. (1971) Degeneration and regrowth of adrenergic nerve fibres in the rat peripheral tissues after 6-hydroxydopamine.Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 49, 345–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, J. S. andGosling, J. A. (1972) The distribution of autonomic nerves in the musculature of the rat vas deferens. A light and electron microscopical investigation.Journal of Comparative Neurology 146, 175–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eränkö, L. andEränkö, O. (1971) Effects of guanethidine on nerve cells and small intensely fluorescent cells in sympathetic ganglia of newborn and adult rats.Acta Pharmacologica et Toxicologica 30, 403–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, B. K., Heath, J. W. andBurnstock, G. (1979) Effects of chronic guanethidine on the sympathetic nervous system of mouse and toad.Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (in press).

  • Evans, B., Cannon, B. J., Heath, J. W. andBurnstock, G. (1972) Long-lasting damage to the internal male genital organs and their adrenergic innervation in rats following chronic treatment with the antihypertensive drug guanethidine.Fertility and Sterility 23 657–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, B., Iwayama, T. andBurnstock, G. (1973) Long-lasting supersensitivity of the rat vas deferens to norepinephrine after chronic guanethidine administration.Journal of Pharmacology and experimental Therapeutics 185, 60–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falck, B. andOwman, C. (1965) A detailed methodological description of the fluorescence method for the cellular demonstration of biogenic monoamines.Acta Universitatus Lund II 7, 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finch, L., Haeusler, G., Kuhn, H. andThoenen, H. (1973a) Rapid recovery of vascular adrenergic nerves in the rat after chemical sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine.British Journal of Pharmacology 48, 59–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finch, L., Haeusler, G. andThoenen, H. (1973b) A comparison of the effects of chemical sympathectomy by 6-hydroxydopamine in the newborn and adult rat.British Journal of Pharmacology 47, 249–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furness, J. B. (1970) The excitatory input to a single smooth muscle cell.Pflügers Archiv für die gesamte Physiologie des Menchen und der Tiere 314, 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furness, J. B. andIwayama, T. (1971) Terminal axons ensheathed in smooth muscle cells of the vas deferens.Zeitschrift fur Zellforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie 113, 259–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, H. andJacobowitz, D. (1971) Correlation of norepinephrine content with observations of adrenergic nerves after a single dose of 6-hydroxydopamine in the rat.Journal of Pharmacology and experimental Therapeutics 176, 119–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, J. D. P., Al Katib, H. andSpriggs, T. L. B. (1968) The isolated hypogastric nerve-vas deferens preparation of the rat.British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy 32, 34–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath, J. W. andBurnstock, G. (1977) Selectivity of neuronal degeneration produced by chronic guanethidine treatment.Journal of Neurocytology 6, 397–405.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath, J. W., Evans, B. K. andBurnstock, G. (1973) Axon retraction following guanethidine treatment. Studies of sympathetic neuronsin vivo.Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie 146, 439–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath, J. W., Evans, B. K., Gannon, B. J., Burnstock, G. andJames, V. B. (1972) Degeneration of adrenergic neurons following guanethidine treatment: An ultrastructural study.Virchows Archiv Abteilung B-Zellpathologie 11, 182–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hökfelt, T., Jonsson, G. andSachs, Ch. (1972) Fine structural and fluorescence morphology of adrenergic nerves after 6-hydroxydopaminein vivo andin vitro.Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie 131, 529–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwayama, T. andFurness, J. B. (1971) Enhancement of the granulation of adrenergic storage vesicles in drug-free solution.Journal of Cell Biology 48, 699–703.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, E. M. Jr. andO'brien, F. (1976) Evaluation of the permanent sympathectomy produced by the administration of guanethidine to adult rats.Journal of Pharmacology and experimental Therapeutics 196, 53–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuntz, A. andMorris, R. E. (1946) Components and distribution of the spermatic nerves and the nerves of the vas deferens.Journal of Comparative Neurology 85, 33–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levi-Montalcini, R. andAngeletti, P. U. (1966) Immunosympathectomy.Pharmacological Reviews 18, 619–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malmfors, T., Furness, J. B., Campbell, G. R. andBurnstock, G. (1971) Re-innervation of smooth muscle of the vas deferens transplanted into the anterior chamber of the eye.Journal of Neurobiology 2, 193–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray, J. G. andThompson, J. W. (1957) The occurrence and function of collateral sprouting in the sympathetic nervous system of the cat.Journal of Physiology 135, 133–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson, L. andMalmfors, T. (1970) Growth characteristics of adrenergic nerves in the adult rat.Acta Physiologica Scandinavia Suppl.348, 1–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, K. C. (1962) The fine structure of autonomic nerve endings in smooth muscle of the rat vas deferens.Journal of Anatomy 96, 427–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sjöstrand, N. O. (1965) The adrenergic innervation of the vas deferens and the accessory male genital glands.Acta Physiologica Scandinavia 65, Suppl. 257, 1–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swedin, G. (1971) Studies on neurotransmission mechanisms in the rat and guinea-pig vas deferens.Acta Physiologica Scandinavia Suppl.369, 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoenen, H. andTranzer, J. P. (1968) Chemical sympathectomy by selective destruction of adrenergic nerve endings with 6-hydroxydopamine.Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Archiv für experimentelle Pathologie und Pharmakologie 261, 271–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamauchi, A. andBurnstock, G. (1969) Post natal development of the innervation of the mouse vas deferens. A fine structural study.Journal of Anatomy 104, 17–32.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. John W. Heath

    Present address: Medical School, University of Newcastle, 2308, Shortland, New South Wales, Australia

  2. Geoffrey Burnstock

    Present address: Department of Anatomy and Embryology, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT, London, England

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, 3052, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Barbara K. Evans, John W. Heath & Geoffrey Burnstock

Authors
  1. Barbara K. Evans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John W. Heath
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Geoffrey Burnstock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Evans, B.K., Heath, J.W. & Burnstock, G. Reinnervation following guanethidine-induced sympathectomy of adult rats. J Neurocytol 8, 381–400 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01236127

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01236127

Keywords

Search

Navigation