Effect of 6-Hydroxydopamine on the Ganglion Cells and the Small Intensely Fluorescent Cells in the Superior Cervical Ganglion of the Rat

• Published in: Acta physiologica Scandinavica 1972-01, Vol.84 (1), p.115-124
• Main Authors: Eränkö, Liisa, Eränkö, Olavi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Catecholamines - metabolism; Cholinesterases - metabolism; Dopamine - pharmacology; Endoplasmic Reticulum - drug effects; Fluorescence; Ganglia, Autonomic - drug effects; Ganglia, Autonomic - enzymology; Golgi Apparatus - drug effects; Microscopy, Electron; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Rats
• ISSN: 0001-6772; 1365-201X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1972.tb05161.x

Newborn rats were injected daily for 8 days with 6‐hydroxydopamine, (6‐OH‐DA) 50 mg/kg b. w. Disappearance of over 90 % of the ganglion cells from the superior cervical ganglion and the coeliac ganglion was observed 3 weeks after discontinuation of the injections. The surviving ganglion cells were larger than normal and exhibited less intense than normal catecholamine fluorescence but showed normal or slightly decreased activity of acetylcholinesterase and nonspecific cholinesterase. Electron microscopically, hypertrophy of the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus were observed. 6‐OH‐DA caused, besides destruction of ganglion cells, an increase in the relative number of the small intensely fluorescent cells. However, this increase was due to loss of ganglion cells from between the small cells, and the total number of small intensely fluorescent cells counted from complete series of sections through the ganglia was the same in controls as that in animals injected with 6‐OH‐DA. It is concluded that the small intensely fluorescent cells are resistant to chemical sympathectomy, and differ in this respect from ordinary ganglion cells.