Localization of the sympathetic postganglionic neurons innervating cardiac coronary artery with horseradish peroxidase in monkeys.

Localization of the sympathetic postganglionic neurons innervating the cardiac coronary arteries in monkeys was investigated by using retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). HRP was applied to the main trunk of the left and right coronary arteries, and to the terminal branches of the ventral and dorsal descending vessels of the left and right coronary arteries, respectively. The animals were sacrificed 84-96 hours later and perfused via the left ventricle. The paravertebral sympathetic ganglia from the superior cervical, middle cervical and stellate ganglia to the T9 ganglia, and nodose ganglia were removed and processed for HRP identification. After HRP was applied into the main trunk of the right coronary artery, and into the main trunk and the terminal branches of the descending vessels of the left coronary artery, the HRP-labeled sympathetic neurons were localized predominantly in the right superior cervical ganglion, and next in the left superior cervical ganglia. However, labeled cells were found in the stellate ganglia bilaterally. After HRP applications to the terminal branches of the dorsal descending vessels of the right coronary artery, HRP-labeled cells were mainly present in the left superior cervical ganglion and next in the right superior cervical ganglion. Some labeled cells were found in the middle cervical and stellate ganglia. No labeled cell was found in ganglia below the second thoracic ganglia on either side in these four groups.