| Research Abstract |
1) Development of Vagal Branches destined to the heart and great vessels of chick and Suncus embryos
In 1998, we traced developing branches arising from the trunk of the vagus nerve in the chick embryos and the embryos of the house shrews (Suncus murinus). The results obtained by the observation in the whole-mount stained embryos by a immunohistochemical method using antibodies to the nerves and nerve cells are new and of importance for considering the three-dimensional morphology of these nerve elements to the developing heart as well as to the great vessels. Unfortunately, we encountered a great difficulties in describing the e nerve branches, that is the confusion of terms of the cardiac nerve branches. For the aim to clear and overcome thisdifficulties, we dissected the thoracic viscera and vagal nerve branches to the heart and great vessels under a stereomicroscope and traced the full-course from their origin to the final distribution in the heart. The observed nerves branches were
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named from the developmental viewpoint. In this way, we have found an excellent way of terminology in which every cardiac nerve branches of any vertebrates can be named without causing confusion. This result has been published in Acta Anatomica Nipponica 73 in 1998.
The results obtained in the study of chick embryos has been published, though in part, in "Seitai no Kagaku" (Science of Living Bodies).
2) Vagal and Sympathetic Nerve Branches Distributed to the Heart and Great Vessels of Humans
In the same way applied to the study 1 mentioned just above, we traced vagal and sympathetic cardica nerves branches in greater detail than ever. We fond, in addition to the vagal cardiac branches, which pass through the aortic porta of the heart, nerves branches entering the venous porta to be distributed to the atria and the interatrial septum. We have made a manuscript of these findings and sent to referee of Journal of Anatomy (England) ; this manuscript has been tentatively accepted, being required to add the findings on the sympathetic cardiac nerve branches.
3) Sympathetic Cardiac Nerve Branches to the Heart of the House Shrews, Suncus murinus
Observation of the total course of sympathetic cardiac nerves branches is very difficult, or impossible in practice, because the scanty of myelination of these nerve branches. For overcome this difficulty, we have tries a whole-mount staining of the thoracic organs including the heart and great vessels by use of antibodies to neurofilament ; By this method, the total course of the vagal and sympathetic cardiac nerve branches are clearly observable. We have got a new data that the sympathetic cardiac nerve branches destined for the venous portion of the heart take their course along the great venous vessels, I.e., the superior caval veins and the pulmonary veins. We made presentation in the local and general Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Anatomical Association in 1999 and 2000.
4) Another Findings
We have traced the variant artery coursing in the interatrial septum of the human heart. The manuscript of this findings has been sent to the referees of Acta Anatomica Nipponica, ; this has been tentatively accepted, some reverses being required. Less
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