NEUROENDOCRINE REGULATION OF INFLAMMATION AND TISSUE-REPAIR BY SUBMANDIBULAR-GLAND FACTORS

Interactions between the immune, nervous and endocrine systems are imp ortant in inflammation and tissue repair One neuroendocrine pathway in volves polypeptide factors derived from the submandibular glands, whos e synthesis and release are controlled by cervical sympathetic nerves. This novel pathway of immune-neuroendocrine communication is the cerv ical sympathetic trunk-submandibular gland (CST-SMG) axis. Here, Ronal d Mathison, Joseph Davison and Dean Befus discuss the contributions of this axis to the neuroendocrine regulation of inflammation and tissue repair.