Autonomic Nerve Function in the Vertebrates

The intention of this book is to offer a comprehensive description and discussion of autonomic nerve function in the vertebrates from several points of view. Sections on anatomy, biochemistry of the transmitter substances and the structure, physiology and pharmacology of the different types of autonomic neurons have been included, together with chapters dealing with the autonomic nervous control of some organs and organ systems in the different vertebrate groups. Although knowledge in several of these areas is based primarily on studies of mammals, a certain emphasis has been placed on the autonomic nerve functions in the non-mammalian vertebrates to describe, from a comparative physiological point of view, the adaptations and possible "phylogenetic trends" in the development of the autonomic nerve functions in the vertebrates. It is very obvious that the literature created by the vigorous research activities within the fields of autonomic nervous anatomy, histochemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology and physiology is vast indeed, and not all aspects of the subject may have received fair treatment in the present volume. With an analogy from astronomy, it is hoped that the mass compressed into this book has reached the level of an energy-emitting neutron star, rather than the black hole which would be the result of compressing too large a mass.

Contenu
1 Introduction.- 1.1 The Comparative Approach.- 1.2 The Vertebrate Pedigree.- 1.3 Useful Reviews on the Autonomic Nervous System.- 2 Anatomy of the Vertebrate Autonomic Nervous Systems.- 2.1 Mammals.- 2.2 Cyclostomes.- 2.3 Elasmobranchs.- 2.4 Teleosts.- 2.5 Dipnoans.- 2.6 Amphibians.- 2.7 Reptiles.- 2.8 Birds.- 2.9 Conclusions.- 3 Neurotransmission.- 3.1 Transmitter Substances.- 3.2 The Autonomic Neuron.- 3.3 Conclusions.- 4 Receptors for Transmitter Substances.- 4.1 Drug-Receptor Interaction.- 4.2 Classification of Receptors for Neurotransmitters.- 5 Chemical Tools.- 5.1 Drugs That Affect Ion Permeability of Cell Membranes.- 5.2 Drugs That Affect Adrenergic Transmission.- 5.3 Drugs That Affect Cholinergic Transmission.- 5.4 Drugs That Affect Purinergic Transmission.- 5.5 Drugs That Affect Serotonergic Transmission.- 5.6 Drugs That Affect Peptidergic Transmission.- 6 Chromaffin Tissue.- 6.1 Histochemical Demonstration of Chromaffin Cells.- 6.2 Chromaffin Tissue in Mammals.- 6.3 Chromaffin Tissue in Cyclostomes.- 6.4 Chromaffin Tissue in Elasmobranchs.- 6.5 Chromaffin Tissue in Teleosts.- 6.6 Chromaffin Tissue in Ganoids.- 6.7 Chromaffin Tissue in Dipnoans.- 6.8 Chromaffin Tissue in Amphibians.- 6.9 Chromaffin Tissue in Reptiles.- 6.10 Chromaffin Tissue in Birds.- 6.11 Conclusions.- 7 The Circulatory System.- 7.1 Cyclostomes.- 7.2 Elasmobranchs.- 7.3 Teleosts.- 7.4 Ganoids.- 7.5 Dipnoans.- 7.6 Amphibians.- 7.7 Reptiles.- 7.8 Birds.- 7.9 Mammals.- 7.10 Conclusions.- 8 Spleen.- 8.1 Adrenergic Control.- 8.2 Cholinergic Control.- 9 The Alimentary Canal.- 9.1 Mammals.- 9.2 Cyclostomes.- 9.3 Elasmobranchs.- 9.4 Teleosts.- 9.5 Amphibians.- 9.6 Reptiles.- 9.7 Birds.- 9.8 Conclusions.- 10 Swimbladder and Lung.- 10.1 The Teleost Swimbladder.- 10.2 Fish Lungs.- 10.3 Tetrapod Lungs.- 11 Urinary Bladder.- 11.1 The Teleost Urinary Bladder.- 11.2 The Amphibian Urinary Bladder.- 11.3 The Reptilian Urinary Bladder.- 11.4 The Mammalian Urinary Bladder.- 12 Iris.- 12.1 The Elasmobranch Iris.- 12.2 The Teleost Iris.- 12.3 The Amphibian Iris.- 12.4 The Reptilian Iris.- 12.5 The Avian Iris.- 12.6 The Mammalian Iris.- 13 Chromatophores.- 13.1 Teleost Chromatophores.- 13.2 Reptilian Chromatophores.- 14 Concluding Remarks.- References.