SENSORY INNERVATION OF THE SUPRARENAL GLAND IN THE ALBINO-RAT - A FLUORESCENT TRACT TRACER STUDY

The afferent innervation of the suprarenal gland was studied by using a fluorescent tract tracer aa the adult albino rat. The left suprarena l gland was injected slowly with 5 mu l of 2% aqueous suspension of Fa st blue. After a survival period of 4-5 days, the dorsal root ganglia were dissected out and 15-mu m-thick plastic (JB 4) sections were exam ined under the fluorescent microscope. The labelled neurons were seen from the third thoracic to second lumbar dorsal root ganglia, ipsilate ral to the site of injection with maximum concentration from T-6 to T- 11. These primary sensory neurons were round to oval in shape, varied from 7 mu m to 40 mu m in size, and were distributed randomly in the d orsal root ganglia. The labelling of the primary sensory neurons in th e dorsal root ganglia confirms the presence of sensory nerve endings i n the suprarenal gland that may be responsible for the vascular disten sion and hormonal release. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.