Immunohistochemical study of the phrenic ganglion

• Published in: Anatomical science international Vol. 83; no. 3; pp. 159 - 161
• Main Authors: Tubbs, R. Shane, Stetler, William, Kelly, David R., Blevins, Danitra, Lott, Robert, Humphrey, Rita, Shoja, Mohammadali M., Loukas, Marios
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer-Verlag 01.09.2008; Blackwell Publishing Asia; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anatomy; Anatomy & physiology; Animal Anatomy; Animal Physiology; Biochemistry; Cell Biology; diaphragm; Diaphragm - innervation; Female; Ganglia, Sympathetic - anatomy & histology; Ganglia, Sympathetic - metabolism; Histology; Human body; Human Physiology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Immunology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Morphology; Neurology; Neuropeptide Y - metabolism; Neurosciences; Original Article; Phrenic Nerve - anatomy & histology; Phrenic Nerve - metabolism; pseudoganglion; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase - metabolism; pseudoganglion; anatomy; diaphragm
• ISSN: 1447-6959; 1447-073X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1447-073X.2007.00224.x

Peripheral nerve ‘pseudoganglia’ are described in the literature with little focus on histology. The phrenic ganglia, which are located on the inferior surface of the diaphragm and are associated with the phrenic nerves, have been described by some authors as potentially sympathetic ganglia although this, to the authors’ knowledge, has not been proven. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate further the true autonomic nature of this collection of nerve cell bodies. In eight fresh adult cadavers >6 h after death, the left and right phrenic ganglia were harvested and subjected to immunochemistry. All phrenic ganglia were vasoactive intestinal polypeptide negative but tyrosine hydroxylase positive. These findings indicate that the phrenic ganglia are sympathetic ganglia with most likely a vasomotor function.