Vol. 39, No. 3-4, 1995
The adrenergic innervation of atrioventricular valves and the epicardium in the heart of chickens and pheasants
Stopek, D., Siroťáková, M., Kočišová, M.
Institute of Experimental Medicine and
Department of Anatomy
Medical Faculty of Safarik University
Trieda SNP 1
040 66 Kosice
Slovak Republic
Summary
The study of the adrenergic innervation of the atrioventricular valves and epicardium in chicken and pheasant hearts carried out by the authors revealed that the basic morphological properties of these relatively abundant nerve components show no significant differences between them, even when compared with the findings in some mammals (rats, rabbits, pigs). In addition to that they assumed that from the point of view of functional morphology the adrenergic nerve components, mainly those in the valves and the epicardium, can play an important role as resources and regulators of the level of endogenous noradrenalin in the blood and in this way participate in the control of blood circulation.
Key words: adrenergic innervation; atrioventricular valve; epicardium; systemic circulation; Aves
This article is dedicated to the memory of the late Prof. P. P o p e s k o, DVM, DSc on the seventieth anniversary of his birth.
References
Folia Veterinaria / 1995