Paraganglion
| Paraganglion | |
|---|---|
 Paraganglion of gallbladder | |
| Identifiers | |
| TH | H3.08.02.8.00001 |
| FMA | 15648 |
| Anatomical terms of microanatomy | |
A paraganglion (pl. paraganglia) is a group of non-
endocrine functions and the latter with primary chemoreceptor functions.[1]
Chromaffin paraganglia (also called chromaffin bodies) are connected with the
adrenal glands and essentially function the same way as the adrenal medulla. They are sometimes found in connection with the ganglia of other sympathetic plexuses. None have been found with the sympathetic ganglia associated with the branches of the trigeminal nerve. The largest chromaffin paraganglion is the organ of Zuckerkandl, it is probably the largest source of circulating catecholamines in the fetus and young infants, and gradually atrophies to microscopic loci.[1]
Nonchromaffin paraganglia include
aortic bodies, some are distributed in the ear, along the vagus nerve, in the larynx and at various other places.[2]
Clinical significance
Tumors of the paraganglionic tissues are known as
paragangliomas
, though this term tends to imply the nonchromaffin type, and can occur at a number of sites throughout the body.
Chromaffin paragangliomas are issued from chromaffin cells, and are known as
pheochromocytomas. Adrenal pheochromocytomas are usually benign while extra-adrenal ones are more malignant.[3] They are most of the time in the adrenals, and only rarely outside of the abdomen. They usually secrete hormones and estimates of a familial history vary.[1][2]
Nonchromaffin paragangliomas are usually benign.[3] They are generally present at the head and neck, most often at carotid body or jugulo-tympanic, they rarely secrete hormones and commonly have a familial history.[1][2]
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1277 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- ^ a b c d Anne Marie McNicol (2010). "Chapter 12: Adrenal medulla and paraganglia". Endocrine Pathology: Differential Diagnosis and Molecular Advance (Springer ed.). p. 281.
- ^ ISBN 9283224175. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
- ^ S2CID 33216313.
External links
Look up paraganglion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Paraganglia,+Nonchromaffin at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
- Paraganglia,+Chromaffin at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
