Roivainen R, Koistinaho J
A.I. Virtanen Institute, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
Microsc Res Tech. 1996 Sep 1;35(1):20-31. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0029(19960901)35:1<20::AID-JEMT3>3.0.CO;2-W.
The superior cervical ganglion (SCG) is thought to be a good model for correlation studies of morphology, function and metabolism of neurons. The SCG has a relatively simple organization, it can be easily manipulated in situ, and it maintains synaptic transmission and a high metabolic rate during in vitro incubations. The histology and structure of SCG neurons have been characterized in detail, and physiologic stimuli, injury and aging have all been found to induce changes in the SCG morphology. During the last decade, research in the field of signal transduction has greatly expanded. Several signal transduction pathways have been identified that participate in the regulation of neurotransmitter synthesis, gene expression, neuronal excitability and growth factor responses of sympathetic neurons. We have been interested in using the SCG to study some of the second and third messengers involved in converting external stimuli received by sympathetic neurons into cellular short- and long-term events. Using immunohistochemistry, we have investigated protein kinase C-subtypes and the immediate early gene product Fos in the SCG, and characterized some of the changes induced by injury and aging in these messenger molecules. We will review the results and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using histological methods in the study of signal transduction in sympathetic neurons.
颈上神经节（SCG）被认为是用于神经元形态、功能和代谢相关性研究的良好模型。颈上神经节具有相对简单的组织结构，可在原位轻松操作，并且在体外培养期间能维持突触传递和较高的代谢率。颈上神经节神经元的组织学和结构已得到详细表征，并且已发现生理刺激、损伤和衰老均会诱导颈上神经节形态发生变化。在过去十年中，信号转导领域的研究有了极大扩展。已确定了几种参与调节交感神经元神经递质合成、基因表达、神经元兴奋性和生长因子反应的信号转导途径。我们一直致力于利用颈上神经节来研究一些第二信使和第三信使，这些信使参与将交感神经元接收到的外部刺激转化为细胞的短期和长期事件。我们运用免疫组织化学方法，研究了颈上神经节中的蛋白激酶C亚型和即早基因产物Fos，并对损伤和衰老在这些信使分子中所诱导的一些变化进行了表征。我们将回顾研究结果，并讨论在交感神经元信号转导研究中使用组织学方法的优缺点。
