Neuronal connections between the auricular skin and the sympathetic pre- and postganglionic neurons of the dog as studied by using pseudorabies virus

Abstract

Pseudorabies virus (PrV) as a neuronal tracer was microinjected into the concave surface of the puppy's left pinna to establish the morphological basis of somato-visceral linkage. The virus infected neurons were detected by FITC conjugated with polyclonal swine anti-PrV serum. Labelled neurons were localized in: (1) the trigeminal, geniculate and superior vagal ganglia; (2) the subnucleus caudalis of the spinal trigeminal nucleus; (3) the intermediolateral column (IML) of the thoracolumbar segments and (4) the sympathetic chain ganglia. Present results suggest that when injected into the peripheral nerves, PrV was retrogradely transported to the nerve cell bodies located in the respective sensory ganglia. From the first order sensory neurons, the virus would self-replicate and was transported trans-synaptically via the brainstem nuclei and IML to reach the neurons in the sympathetic ganglia.