Histology of Ganglia
A ganglion is a nerve cell cluster or a group of nerve
cell bodies in the autonomic nervous system and
sensory system. Ganglia house the cell bodies of
afferent nerves (input nerve fibres) and efferent-
output/motor-nerve fibres or axons.
Structure
• Ganglia are primarily made up of somata and dendritic structures which are bundled or connected.
Ganglia often interconnect with other ganglia to form a complex system of ganglia known as a
plexus. Ganglia provide relay points and intermediary connections between different neurological
structures in the body, such as the peripheral and central nervous systems.
• Among vertebrates there are three major groups of ganglia:
• Dorsal root ganglia (also known as the spinal ganglia) is a cluster of nerve cell bodies (a ganglion) in a
dorsal root of spinal nerve. Dorsal root ganglia contain the cell bodies of sensory (afferent) neurons.
• Cranial nerve ganglia contain the cell bodies of cranial nerve neurons.
• Autonomic ganglia contain the cell bodies of autonomic nerves. The two types are sympathetic
ganglion and parasympathetic ganglion.
• In the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the central nervous system to the ganglia are known
as preganglionic fibers, while those from the ganglia to the effector organ are called postganglionic
fibers.
Types of Autonomic Ganglia
Sympathetic Ganglia Parasympathetic Ganglia
• They are ganglia of the • They are located close to or
sympathetic nervous system. within the effected organs or
They deliver information to the tissues compared with the
body about stress and sympathetic ganglia that are
impending danger, and are located at a more distant site
responsible for familiar fight-or- from the target organs.
flight response. • They consist of nerves that arise
from the cranial and sacral
regions of the spinal cord.
Types of Autonomic Ganglia
• Sympathetic Ganglia • Parasympathetic Ganglia
Common Terms
Nerve Cell Body: The nucleus containing
central part of a neuron exclusive of its axons
and dendrites that is the major structural element
of the grey matter of the brain and spinal cord, the
ganglia and the retina – also called perikaryon, soma.
The cell body connects to the dendrites which bring
information to the neuron, and the axon, which sends
information to other neurons.
Neuron: 1 Cell Body, 2 Dendrite, 3 Axon, 4 Nerve Ending
Difference between Nucleus and Ganglia
• Ganglia: The group of cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system
are known as ganglia.
• Nuclei: Nuclei are the clusters of neuron cell bodies found in the
central nervous system (also called basal ganglia).
Basal ganglia
The term "ganglion" refers to the peripheral nervous system.
However, in the brain (part of the central nervous system), the "basal ganglia" is a group of nuclei
interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and brainstem, associated with a variety of functions:
motor control, cognition, emotions, and learning.
Partly due to this ambiguity, the Terminologia Anatomica recommends using the term basal nuclei instead of
basal ganglia; however, this usage has not been generally adopted.
Pseudoganglion
A pseudoganglion is a localized thickening of the main part or trunk of a nerve that has the appearance of a
ganglion but has only nerve fibers and no nerve cell bodies.
Pseudoganglia are found in the teres minor muscle and radial nerve.
Difference Between Ganglia and Nuclei
Ganglia and nuclei are two types of clusters in the nervous system that are made up of cell bodies of
nerve cells (neurons). The nerve cell is the structural and the functional unit of the nervous system.
The control centre of a nerve cell is the cell body, which consists of the nucleus of the nerve cell. The
cell bodies of the nerve cells are clustered together to form functional units. These functional units
are present in both central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). The main
difference between ganglia and nuclei is that ganglia are clusters of nerve cell bodies in the PNS
whereas nuclei are clusters of nerve cell bodies in the CNS.
Ganglion Cell
• Any neuron whose cell body is located within a ganglion
• A ganglion cell is a cell found in a ganglion. The term is also sometimes used to refer
specifically to:
• retinal ganglion cell (RGC) found in the ganglion cell layer of the retina
• cells that reside in the adrenal medulla, where they are involved in the sympathetic nervous
system's release of epinephrine (adrenalin) and norepinephrine (noradrenalin) into the blood
stream
• cells of the sympathetic ganglia
• cells of the parasympathetic ganglia
• cells of the spiral ganglia
Ganglion cells within a
ganglia
Spinal Ganglion
