| Nerve: Postganglionic fibers |
 |
| Sympathetic connections of the ciliary and superior cervical ganglia. |
| Latin |
neurofibrae postganglionicae |
| Code |
TA A14.2.00.010 |
In the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the ganglion to the effector organ are called postganglionic fibers.
Neurotransmitters[edit]
The neurotransmitters of postganglionic fibers differ:
- In the sympathetic division, neurons are mostly adrenergic (that is, epinephrine and norepinephrine function as the primary neurotransmitters.) One exception to this rule is the sympathetic innervation of sweat glands, where acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter at both pre and post ganglionic synapses. Another exception is the sympathetic innervation of the medulla of the adrenal glands, which is accomplished by preganglionic fibers, and subsequently uses acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter. The cells of the adrenal medulla are actually modified postganglionic neurons which secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine directly into the blood stream rather than into a synapse.[1]
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