The purpose of this study was to determine the origin and describe the location of the autonomic nerve fibers in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region of the rat by means of histochemistry and ganglionectomy.
The cells of origin of the autonomic innervation were studied by using wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) by the retrograde axonal transport method. The tracer was injected into the upper joint cavity of the TMJ unilaterally in adult rats. Labelled cells were observed ipsilaterally in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG), otic ganglion (OTG), and pterygopalatine ganglion (PPG); none were found contralaterally.
The glyoxylic acid method, which is the most sensitive amine fluorescence method, was used to identify the sympathetic nerve fibers, and enzyme histochemistry of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was used to obtain indirect evidence of cholinergic nerve fibers.
Catecholamine fluorescence, which was completely lost on removal of the SCG, was detected along the blood vessels in the pericapsular connective tissue. The amine fluorescence was also seen in the articular disc, which started from the pericapsular fibrous tissue and reached the inmediate lower part of the synovial membrane, and the fluorescence was mainly shown in the upper anterior synovial recess. However, the center of the articular disc was devoid of fluorescence.
AChE-positive fibers, which were almost completely lost on removal of the OTG, slightly lost on removal of the PPG, and completely lost on removal of both ganglions, were observed eccentrically in the auriculotemporal nerve, throughout the masseter nerve, and along the blood vessels. AChE-positive fibers densely innervated the variously sized blood vessels in the pericapsular connective tissue, but were found in neither anterior and posterior bands of the articular disc nor in the center.
These results suggested that most of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers are originated from SCG and OTG, respectively. Furthermore, it indicated that nerve fibers from PPG may also exist in the anterior upper portion of the TMJ. It is considered that both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers run along the internal carotid artery and innervate the TMJ.
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