Ng Y K, Wong W C, Ling E A
Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore.
Ann Acad Med Singap. 1995 Nov;24(6):793-801.
The submandibular ganglion (SMG) of both the rat and monkey is composed of a collection of small ganglia distributed mainly at the hilum of the submandibular gland. Ultrastructurally, its constituent neurons have a prominent nucleus and numerous randomly distributed cytoplasmic organelles. In the rat SMG a variable number of its neurons are immunoreactivities for [Met5]enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8, neuropeptide Y (NPY), substance P (SP), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). In the monkey, however, the SMG neurons only react for NPY and SP. Following sectioning of the lingual nerve, SMG neurons of both the rat and monkey showed structural alterations; a marked change was also observed in the immunoreactivities of the rat neurons. There were signs of recovery in the structural features and immunoreactivities in the SMG neurons in animals with longer survival periods of up to 2 months. This suggests that the changes in the neurons after denervation are acute but reversible in nature. After fluorogold injections into the submandibular and sublingual glands of the rat, a variable number of neurons in the superior salivatory nucleus (SSN), superior cervical ganglion (SCG) and trigeminal ganglion (TG) were labelled. A hypothetical model depicting the possible interactions between the parasympathetic SMG and the preganglionic nucleus, that is, the SSN, as well as the sympathetic SCG and the sensory TG is presented. It is proposed that the SMG functions as a relay as well as a modulatory centre for salivatory activity.
大鼠和猴子的下颌下神经节（SMG）均由一群主要分布在下颌下腺门部的小神经节组成。在超微结构上，其组成神经元有一个突出的细胞核和许多随机分布的细胞质细胞器。在大鼠的下颌下神经节中，有数量不等的神经元对[Met5]脑啡肽-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8、神经肽Y（NPY）、P物质（SP）、酪氨酸羟化酶（TH）和血管活性肠肽（VIP）呈免疫反应性。然而，在猴子中，下颌下神经节神经元仅对NPY和SP有反应。切断舌神经后，大鼠和猴子的下颌下神经节神经元均出现结构改变；在大鼠神经元的免疫反应性方面也观察到明显变化。在存活期长达2个月的动物中，下颌下神经节神经元的结构特征和免疫反应性有恢复迹象。这表明去神经后神经元的变化在性质上是急性但可逆的。向大鼠的下颌下腺和舌下腺注射荧光金后，标记了数量不等的上涎核（SSN）、颈上神经节（SCG）和三叉神经节（TG）中的神经元。提出了一个假设模型，描述副交感神经下颌下神经节与节前核即上涎核、交感神经颈上神经节和感觉性三叉神经节之间可能的相互作用。有人提出，下颌下神经节作为唾液分泌活动的中继站和调节中心发挥作用。
