The human phrenic nerve serves as a morphological conduit for autonomic nerves and innervates the caval body of the diaphragm.

ABSTRACT: Communicating fibres between the phrenic nerve and sympathetic nervous system may exist, but have not been characterized histologically and immunohistochemically, even though increased sympathetic activity due to phrenic nerve stimulation for central sleep apnoea may entail morbidity and mortality. We, therefore, conducted a histological study of the phrenic nerve to establish the presence of catecholaminergic fibres throughout their course. The entire phrenic nerves of 35 formalin-fixed human cadavers were analysed morphometrically and immunohistochemically. Furthermore, the right abdominal phrenic nerve was serially sectioned and reconstructed. The phrenic nerve contained 3 ± 2 fascicles in the neck that merged to form a single fascicle in the thorax and split again into 3 ± 3 fascicles

SUBMITTER: Verlinden TJM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6076324 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature