Extrinsic pathways of the adrenergic innervation of the guinea-pig trachealis muscle.

Origins and extrinsic pathways of the adrenergic innervation of the guinea-pig trachealis muscle were studied using fluorescence histochemical techniques. Bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy caused a marked reduction in the adrenergic innervation of the extra-thoracic region, which suggests that these ganglia are a major source of adrenergic innervation to this muscle. Combined anterior and posterior transection of the recurrent laryngeal nerves also caused a marked reduction in the density of adrenergic fibres in the extra-thoracic trachealis muscle. Crushing of these nerves revealed adrenergic fibres running both anteriorly and posteriorly. The majority of these adrenergic nerves were lost after superior cervical ganglionectomy and thus the fibres running in both directions originate in the superior cervical ganglion. Antero-posteriorly directed fibres entered the recurrent laryngeal nerve from the superior cervical ganglion via an anastomosis at the level of the cricoid cartilage, while those running postero-anteriorly entered the recurrent laryngeal nerve posteriorly from the vagus nerve and these adrenergic fibres were lost after cervical vagotomy.