An electron microscopic study on the autonomic innervation of the rabbit parotid gland

Summary As visualized in the electron microscope, the parotid gland of the rabbit has a dual innervation. Both adrenergic and cholinergic nerves are equally distributed in the parenchyma and often run together within the same nerve bundle. Nerve terminals are observed not only subjacent to the basement membrane but interposed between the latter and the acinar cells, where they establish a close membrane to membrane contact with the latter.This investigation was supported by grants from Svenska Medicinska Sällskapet and the University of Umeå.