Origins of parasympathetic postganglionic vasodilator fibers supplying the lips and gingivae; an WGA-HRP study in the cat.

Application of WGA-HRP to the mandibular lip and buccal gingiva of the cat resulted in retrograde labeling in the ipsilateral otic ganglion (OG), whereas labeled neurons appeared in the pterygopalatine ganglion (PPG) as well as in the OG when the tracer was injected into the maxillary lip and buccal gingiva. The results suggest that both the facial and the glossopharyngeal preganglionic vasodilator fibers supplying the mandibular lip and buccal gingiva mediated in the OG, and those innervating the maxillary lip and buccal gingiva are mediated in the PPG and the OG.