The Innervation of the Human Suprarenal Glands.

Abstract

In the course of a study of the intraglandular innervation of the suprarenal glands in man, the following observations were made. By the Spielmeyer technique, it was found that the nerves approaching the glands were myelinated, and many continued so through the cortex, but no myelinated nerves were observed in the medullary portion of the glands. The finer nerve fibers, which came into intimate relation with the cells of the glands, were found to be unmyelinated. By the original Nissl technique, numerous ganglion cells were found, both on the surface of the glands, and within the medulla, especially in the region of the hilum; none, however, were observed in any of the cortical layers. The Bielschowsky technique was employed in the study of the finer distribution of the nerve fibers. The cells of the zona glomerulosa were seen to be supplied by short fibrils directly from the nerves in the capsule. Longer fibers passed down between the columns of the fascicular zone, anastomosing abundantly, and forming networks which enclosed the cells and sent tiny branches to end within them. These fibers supplied the cells of the zona reticularis in a similar manner. To the medulla, the large nerve bundles described as myelinated were observed to pass directly, with no evidence of branching within the cortex. The ganglion cells described under the Nissl technique were seen to possess intracellular fibrils, while the medullary cells themselves were enclosed in basket-like networks of fibrils, from which tiny fibrillae were seen to enter the cells.