A topographical and cytological study of the sympathetic nervous components of the suprarenal of the chick embryo

A study was made of the development of the suprarenal gland of the chick with reference to the following points: 1) Topographical relationship of the sympathetic cell masses to the cortical cords, and to the sympathetic nervous system. 2) Cytological differentiation of the sympathetic cells. The migrating indifferent sympathetic cells, although becoming generally distributed over the medial surface of the cortical ridge, form a series of more prominent aggregations at certain definite loci. These aggregations are the rudiments of two longitudinal ganglionic chains, which develop from the sixth to the seventh day. Around and between the ganglionic rudiments the indifferent cell groups become penetrated by sympathetic fibers from the ganglionic rudiments as well as by fibers of sympathoblasts which develop from indifferent cells of the sympathetic‐chromaffine complex. At the same time multipolar sympathetic cells lying between the cortical cords and processes to the tracts developing between the ganglia on the surface of the cortical ridge. Differentiation of ‘chromaffine cells’ from indifferent cells of the aggregations begins during the eighth day, after a profuse innervation of the rudiments has been established. Differentiation is evidenced by the appearance of cytoplasmic granules, and by the appearance of the ‘chromaffine reaction.’ The possible bearing of the innervation of the indifferent cell aggregations upon their differentiation and upon their penetration of the cortical bodies is discussed.