Occurrence of Calcitonin-positive C Cells Within the Distal Vagal Ganglion and the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve of the Chicken

The chicken ultimobranchial glands are richly supplied with nerve fibers originating from both the main trunk of the vagus nerve and its branch--the recurrent laryngeal nerve. C cells immunoreactive for calcitonin were invariably found in the large nerve bundles distributed throughout the ultimobranchial glands. In addition, these cells were often present within the distal vagal ganglia and the recurrent laryngeal nerves. The frequency of occurrence and the pattern of distribution of the C cells in the distal vagal ganglia and the recurrent laryngeal nerves were determined in chickens of various ages by means of an immunoperoxidase method with anticalcitonin and antineurofilament antisera. The left and right sides of the ultimobranchial region were asymmetrical. The left ultimobranchial gland was in close contact with the vagus nerve trunk, especially with the distal vagal ganglion, but it was separated from the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The right gland contacted the recurrent laryngeal nerves, its medial edge being frequently penetrated by the nerve, but the gland was separated from the distal vagal ganglion. On the left side, C cells were found in 25 out of 39 distal vagal ganglia but they were not distributed in the recurrent laryngeal nerve. On the right side, the cells were present in 28 out of 43 recurrent laryngeal nerves but absent in the distal vagal ganglia. The results indicate that the C cells secreting a hormone calcitonin can enter into nerves, but their occurrence is restricted to the nerves in close proximity to the ultimobranchial glands. Electron microscopic studies revealed that C cells in the nerves received numerous axon clusters enveloped with Schwann cell cytoplasm. Naked axons regarded as axon terminals were found in direct contact with the surface of C cells. They were mainly composed of efferent-type nerve endings showing the accumulation of numerous small clear vesicles and a few large dense-cored vesicles. In addition, C cells were partly covered with the long cytoplasmic processes of Schwann cells and were also in contact with the Schwann cell perikarya. The C cells in nerves appear to be controlled by neural stimulation.