Comparative morphology, cytochemistry and innervation of chromaffin tissue in vertebrates.

Chromaffin cells were observed singly or in clusters in the heart and sympathetic cord of 2 genera of dipnoan fish, Protopterus and Lepidosiren. They were invariably found in close association with the autonomic sympathetic nervous system and at sites where chromaffin cells or their precursors are situated in mammals during ontogenetic development. X-ray microanalysis demonstrated that they contained a primary catecholamine which was identified microspectrofluorometrically as dopamine. The chromaffin cells were innervated by efferent axons with typical preganglionic sympathetic terminals which were acetylcholinesterase-positive. Although the general morphology and cytochemistry agree with those of developing intra-adrenal chromaffin cells in mammals, the morphological characteristics implicate them as active secretory gland cells. The dopamine transmitter phenotype seems to be determined by the maintenance throughout life of the separate and distant location of steroidogenic interrenal tissue from suprarenal elements.