Some aspects of the development of the peripheral autonomic nervous system in the abdomen and the pelvis of the rat. Preliminary results.

The development of the relation of the left vagus nerve with the esophagus and the stomach and the relation of the pelvic plexus with the urinary bladder during the last week before birth has been studied by means of the AChE in toto method (Baljet and Drukker 1975, Bloot et al. 1984). It has been established that the gastric branches can be traced as far as the greater curvature until the 18th day. On the 18th day the stomach increases as much in size that on the 19th day these branches can not be traced so far any more. The growth pattern of the left vagus nerve, the stomach and the esophagus has been visualized graphically. In contrast to the previous observations on the stomach the urinary bladder increases gradually in size. However the nerve branches which run towards the bladder show a sudden increase in length on the 20th day after fertilization.