Morphological features of neurons innervating different viscera in the catstellate ganglion in postnatal ontogenesis

Retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was used in thi s study to determine morphological parameters in the stellate ganglion (SG) in newborn, 10-, 20-day- and 1-month-old kittens. Neurons with the largest average size participated in innervation of the heart in newborn kittens a nd in innervation of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in other animals. The n umber of neurons sending their axons to target-organs also changed in postn atal ontogenesis. Regardless of the site of HRP injection at animals of all ages labeled neurons in the SG were located in certain zones on a topograp hical basis. Thus, it is concluded that in postnatal ontogenesis the neuron al organization of the SG changes in parallel to the increase of neuronal s izes and ganglion cross section area and practically finishes at 1 month of age. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.