Hypertrophy and neuron loss: structural changes in sheep SCG induced by unilateral sympathectomy.

Recently, superior cervical ganglionectomy has been performed to investigate a variety of scientific topics from regulation of intraocular pressure to suppression of lingual tumour growth. Despite these recent advances in our understanding of the functional mechanisms underlying superior cervical ganglion (SCG) growth and development after surgical ablation, there still exists a need for information concerning the quantitative nature of the relationships between the removed SCG and its remaining contralateral ganglion and between the remaining SCG and its modified innervation territory. To this end, using design-based stereological methods, we have investigated the structural changes induced by unilateral ganglionectomy in sheep at three distinct timepoints (2, 7 and 12 weeks) after surgery. The effects of time, and lateral (left-right) differences, were examined by two-way analyses of variance and paired t-tests. Following removal of the left SCG, the main findings were: (i) the remaining right SCG was bigger at shorter survival times, i.e. 74% at 2 weeks, 55% at 7 weeks and no increase by 12 weeks, (ii) by 7 weeks after surgery, the right SCG contained fewer neurons (no decrease at 2 weeks, 6% fewer by 7 weeks and 17% fewer by 12 weeks) and (iii) by 7 weeks, right SCG neurons were also larger and the magnitude of this increase grew substantially with time (no rise at 2 weeks, 77% by 7 weeks and 215% by 12 weeks). Interaction effects between time and ganglionectomy-induced changes were significant for SCG volume and mean perikaryal volume. These findings show that unilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy has profound effects on the contralateral ganglion. For future investigations, it would be interesting to examine the interaction between SCGs and their innervation targets after ganglionectomy. Is the ganglionectomy-induced imbalance between the sizes of innervation territories the milieu in which morphoquantitative changes, particularly changes in perikaryal volume and neuron number, occur? Mechanistically, how would those changes arise? Are there any grounds for believing in a ganglionectomy-triggered SCG cross-innervation and neuroplasticity?

The heart of the South American rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus.

Most anatomical and physiological studies of the sauropsid heart have focused on species with extraordinary physiologies, and detailed anatomical descriptions of hearts from sauropsids with more common physiologies are therefore warranted. Here, we present a comprehensive study of the cardiac anatomy of the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus). The cardiovascular physiology of this species has been investigated in a number of studies, whereas only a few cursory studies exist on the cardiac anatomy of viperid snakes. The heart of C. durissus is typically squamate in many regards. Both atria are thin-walled sacs, and the right atrium is the most voluminous. The single ventricle contains three major septa; the vertical septum, the muscular ridge (MR), and the bulbuslamelle. These partially divide the ventricle into three chambers; the systemic and left-sided cavum arteriosum (CA), the pulmonary and right-sided cavum pulmonale, and the medial cavum venosum (CV). The MR is the most developed septum, and several additional and minor septa are found within the CA and CV. An extraordinary thin cortical layer encloses the ventricle, and it is irrigated by a remarkably rich arborization of coronary arteries. Previous studies show high degrees of blood flow separation in the Crotalus heart, and this can only be explained by the coordinated actions of the septa and the prominent atrioventricular valves.