Asamoto K, Tamamaki N, Nojyo Y
Department of Anatomy, Fukui Medical University, Matsuoka, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Kaibogaku Zasshi. 2001 Jun;76(3):303-11.
To determine the segmental relationship between the upper thoracic spinal cord and cervical sympathetic ganglia, we observed the distribution pattern of postganglionic cells which expressed c-Fos like protein, one of the products of immediate early genes, after electrical stimulation of ventral roots at the T1-T3 spinal segments. We recognized a clear segmental arrangement of postganglionic cells in the stellate ganglion along its rostrocaudal direction corresponding to the segmental arrangement of preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord. That is, postganglionic neurons which expressed c-Fos like protein after stimulation of the T1 ventral root were distributed in the middle region of the stellate ganglion in the rostrocaudal direction. The c-Fos like protein-positive neurons after stimulation of the T2 ventral root were distributed in a more caudal region of the stellate ganglion than after T1 ventral root stimulation. C-Fos like protein-positive neurons after stimulation of the T3 ventral root were mainly situated in a more caudal region of the stellate ganglion than after T2 ventral root stimulation. There was, however, no segmental relationship between the upper thoracic levels of the spinal cord and superior cervical ganglion in the rostrocaudal direction. These results indicate that the segmental innervation of the upper thoracic spinal cord exists in the stellate ganglion, but not in the superior cervical ganglion.
为了确定胸段上段脊髓与颈交感神经节之间的节段关系，我们观察了在T1 - T3脊髓节段对腹侧神经根进行电刺激后，表达即刻早期基因产物之一的c-Fos样蛋白的节后细胞的分布模式。我们发现星状神经节内的节后细胞沿其头尾方向呈现出与脊髓节前神经元节段排列相对应的清晰节段排列。也就是说，在刺激T1腹侧神经根后表达c-Fos样蛋白的节后神经元分布在星状神经节头尾方向的中部区域。刺激T2腹侧神经根后c-Fos样蛋白阳性神经元的分布比刺激T1腹侧神经根后更靠星状神经节的尾侧区域。刺激T3腹侧神经根后c-Fos样蛋白阳性神经元主要位于比刺激T2腹侧神经根后更靠星状神经节尾侧的区域。然而，在脊髓胸段上段与颈上神经节之间在头尾方向上不存在节段关系。这些结果表明，胸段上段脊髓的节段性支配存在于星状神经节中，而不存在于颈上神经节中。
