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The innervation of the salivary gland in the american cockroach: Light and electron microscopic observations
Author(s) -
Whitehead Armand T.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1051350405
Subject(s) - biology , cockroach , efferent , salivary gland , periplaneta , anatomy , electron microscope , ganglion , acinus , nervous system , neuroscience , afferent , endocrinology , pancreas , ecology , biochemistry , physics , optics
The salivary gland of Periplaneta americana (L.) is innervated from both the stomatogastric nervous system (SNS) and subesophageal ganglion (SEG). Methylene‐blue preparations, histological sections and electron microscopy revealed a pair of nerves from the SEG, each of which contains two axons 5–7 μ in diameter, and these are accompanied by several smaller ones. The nerves going to the salivary glands from the SNS contain a dozen or more axons, each less than 2 μ thick. Axons from two sources innervate the efferent salivary ducts, the acini, the anterior ends of the salivary reservoirs, and the reservoir suspensory muscles. A nerve which has reached an acinus forms a plexus upon its surface. Electron micrographs disclose penetration of axons with or without glial wrappings, into the intercellular spaces between gland cells. Axons without glial wrappings have been observed in intimate contact with gland‐cell membranes, and several areas which resemble synaptic junctions have been seen.