Development and ultrastructure of the neuromuscular junction in bronchial smooth muscle tissue
Zashikhin, A.L.
Arkhiv Anatomii Gistologii i Embriologii 97(7): 80-85
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-1947 PMID: 2818222 Document Number: 346938
At various stages of pre- and postnatal ontogenesis ultrastructure of contacts of smooth myocytes and nervous terminals in the white mice bronchial wall has been investigated. Nervous fibers grow into the forming tissue of the lung beginning from the 11th day of embryogenesis. By the end of the prenatal development the nervous fibers fasciculi with varicosites and having vesicles are localized at the distance of 100-300 nm from the developing myocytes. Formation of dense neuromuscular junctions with the distance of 35-60 nm between the axonal membranes and the myocyte is observed on the 10-15 day after birth. In mature animals combination of various types of neuromuscular connections is revealed; they ensure local and distant neurotrophic regulation. In the bronchial smooth musculature afferent connections are revealed, as well as connections of myocytic processes with the effectors. Terminals of the cholinergic type predominate, adrenergic effectors occur very seldom. There are terminals, in which combination of vesicles having various structure and diameter are observed.