The sacral autonomic outflow is sympathetic

A kinship between cranial and pelvic visceral nerves of vertebrates has been accepted for a century. Accordingly, sacral preganglionic neurons are considered parasympathetic, as are their targets in the pelvic ganglia that prominently control rectal, bladder, and genital functions. Here, we uncover...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2016-11, Vol.354 (6314), p.893-897
Main Authors: Espinosa-Medina, I, Saha, O, Boismoreau, F, Chettouh, Z, Rossi, F, Richardson, W D, Brunet, J-F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy
Anatomy & physiology
Animals
Autonomic nervous system
Confusion
Evolution
Ganglia, Sympathetic - cytology
Ganglia, Sympathetic - embryology
Ganglia, Sympathetic - physiology
Mice
Molecular biology
Nerves
Nervous system
Neurons
Neurons - metabolism
Neurons - physiology
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I - metabolism
Outflow
Parasympathetic Nervous System - anatomy & histology
Parasympathetic Nervous System - embryology
Parasympathetic Nervous System - physiology
Pelvis - anatomy & histology
Pelvis - embryology
Pelvis - innervation
Sacrum - anatomy & histology
Sacrum - embryology
Sacrum - innervation
Spinal Nerves - physiology
Sympathetic Nervous System - anatomy & histology
Sympathetic Nervous System - embryology
Sympathetic Nervous System - physiology
Thorax - innervation
Transcription, Genetic
Vertebrates
Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins - metabolism
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Summary:A kinship between cranial and pelvic visceral nerves of vertebrates has been accepted for a century. Accordingly, sacral preganglionic neurons are considered parasympathetic, as are their targets in the pelvic ganglia that prominently control rectal, bladder, and genital functions. Here, we uncover 15 phenotypic and ontogenetic features that distinguish pre- and postganglionic neurons of the cranial parasympathetic outflow from those of the thoracolumbar sympathetic outflow in mice. By every single one, the sacral outflow is indistinguishable from the thoracolumbar outflow. Thus, the parasympathetic nervous system receives input from cranial nerves exclusively and the sympathetic nervous system from spinal nerves, thoracic to sacral inclusively. This simplified, bipartite architecture offers a new framework to understand pelvic neurophysiology as well as development and evolution of the autonomic nervous system.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aah5454