大鼠脑血管表面神经纤维的立体形态观察

Three- dimensional observation of the nerve fibers along rat cerebral blood vessels

Three-dimensional observation of the nerve fibers along rat cerebral blood vessels was taken by using scanning electron microscopy combined with immunocytochemistty (ABC). It was found that nerve fibers formed a plexus on the outer surface of the blood vessels in the rostral part of rat Willis' circle. Single fibers could also be seen, which could be divided into thick and thin fibers. Thick fibers had smooth appearance and ran along longitudinal axes of the vessels. Thin fibers were studded with varicose swellings in various directions. Thick fibers containing SP could always be found on the outer surface of the internal ethmoidal artery. Thin fibers containing CGRP were distributed on the outer surface of vessels in the rostral part of Willis' circle, most of which were studded with varicose swellings. NPY-, VIP-immunoreactive nerve fibers could not be found on the outer surface of the cerebral blood vessels. Our findings added detailed information to the peptidergic innervation of cerebral arteries.