Interrogating autonomic peripheral nervous system neurons with viruses - A literature review

J Neurosci Methods. 2020 Dec 1:346:108958. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108958. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

Abstract

How rich functionality emerges from the rather invariant structural architecture of the peripheral autonomic nervous system remains one of the major mysteries in neuroscience. The high incidence of patients with neural circuit-related autonomic nervous system diseases highlights the importance of fundamental research, among others with neurotracing methods, into autonomic neuron functionality. Due to the emergence of neurotropic virus-based tracing techniques in recent years the access to neuronal connectivity in the peripheral autonomic nervous system has greatly been improved. This review is devoted to the anatomical distribution of neural circuits in the periphery of the autonomous nervous system and to the interaction between the autonomic nervous system and vital peripheral organs or tissues. The experimental evidence available at present has greatly expanded our understanding of autonomic peripheral nervous system neurons.

Keywords: Autonomic nervous system; Neural circuit; Neurotracing; Neurotropic virus; Peripheral nervous system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Autonomic Nervous System
  • Humans
  • Interneurons
  • Neurons
  • Peripheral Nervous System*
  • Viruses*