Nerve: Celiac ganglia
The celiac ganglia with the sympathetic plexuses of the abdominal viscera radiating from the ganglia. (Celiac ganglion labeled at center right.)
Celiac and cranial mesenteric ganglion in a cat. 1 Crus sinistrum (Diaphragma), 2 hiatus aorticus, 3 Aorta, 4 Arteria lumbalis, 5 Nervus splanchnicus major, 6 Arteria celiaca, 7 Arteria phrenica caudalis, 8 Celiac ganglion, 9 Plexus celiacus, 10 Ganglion mesentericum craniale, 11 Plexus mesentericus cranialis, 12 Arteria mesenterica cranialis, 13 Nervus splanchnicus minor, 14 Adrenal gland, 15 Arteria abdominalis cranialis, 16 Stomach, 17 Liver (Lobus caudatus), 18 Kidney
Latin	ganglia coeliaca
Gray's	subject #220 985
From	thoracic splanchnic nerves
MeSH	Celiac+Ganglia

The celiac ganglia are two large irregularly shaped masses of nerve tissue in the upper abdomen. Part of the sympathetic subdivision of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the two celiac ganglia are the largest ganglia in the ANS, and they innervate most of the digestive tract.

They have the appearance of lymph glands and are placed on either side of the midline in front of the crura of the diaphragm, close to the suprarenal glands (also called adrenal glands). The ganglion on the right side is placed behind the inferior vena cava.

They are sometimes referred to as the semilunar ganglia or the solar ganglia.

Contents 1 Neurotransmission 2 Path 3 Innervation 4 Links to Ovary 5 Additional images 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] Neurotransmission

The celiac ganglion is part of the sympathetic prevertebral chain possessing a great variety of specific receptors and neurotransmitters such as catecholamines, neuropeptides, and nitric oxide and constitutes a modulation center in the pathway of the afferent and efferent fibers between the central nervous system and the ovary.

The main preganglion neurotransmitter of the celiac ganglion is acetylcholine, yet the celiac ganglion-mesenteric complex also contain α and β adrenergic receptors and is innervated by fibers of adrenergic nature that come from other preaortic ganglia.

[edit] Path

The upper part of each ganglion is joined by the greater splanchnic nerve, while the lower part, which is segmented off and named the aorticorenal ganglion, receives the lesser splanchnic nerve and gives off the greater part of the renal plexus.

[edit] Innervation

These ganglion contain neurons whose unmyelinated postganglionic axons innervate the stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidney, small intestine, and the ascending and transverse colon. They directly innervate the ovarian theca and secondary interstitial cells and exert an indirect action on the luteal cells.

[edit] Links to Ovary

Modifications in the adrenergic activity of the celiac ganglion results in an altered capacity of the ovary of pregnant rats to produce progesterone, suggesting that the celiac ganglion-superior ovarian nerve-ovarian axis provides a direct link between the autonomic nervous system and the physiology of pregnancy.^{[citation needed]} It has also been shown that modifications in the cholinergic input at the celiac ganglion also led, via the superior ovarian nerve, to modifications in ovarian steroidogenesis.^{[citation needed]} Most of the fibers of the superior ovarian nerve come from the postganglionic sympathetic neurons of the celiac ganglion.

[edit] Additional images

Diagram of efferent sympathetic nervous system.

Abdominal portion of the sympathetic trunk, with the celiac and hypogastric plexuses.

Lower half of right sympathetic cord.

[edit] See also

• Celiac plexus

[edit] External links

• SUNY Labs 40:10-0101 - "Posterior Abdominal Wall: The Celiac Plexus"
• Celiac+ganglia at eMedicine Dictionary
• Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_30/30-5.HTM
• Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_32/32-6.HTM
• Physiology at MCG 6/6ch2/s6ch2_30

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

v • d • e Nerves - autonomic nervous system (sympathetic nervous system/ganglion/trunks and parasympathetic nervous system/ganglion) (TA A14.3, GA 9.968) Head/ cranial Sympathetic Ciliary ganglion: roots (Sensory, Sympathetic) · Short ciliary Parasympathetic Ciliary ganglion: roots (Sensory, Parasympathetic) · Short ciliary Pterygopalatine ganglion: deep petrosal · nerve of pterygoid canal branches of distribution: greater palatine (inferior posterior nasal branches) · lesser palatine · nasopalatine (medial superior posterior nasal branches) · pharyngeal Submandibular ganglion Otic ganglion Neck/ cervical Sympathetic paravertebral ganglia: Cervical ganglia (Superior, Middle, Inferior) · Stellate ganglion prevertebral plexus: Cavernous plexus · Internal carotid Chest/ thorax Sympathetic paravertebral ganglia: Thoracic ganglia prevertebral plexus: Cardiac plexus · Esophageal plexus · Pulmonary plexus · Thoracic aortic plexus splanchnic nerves: cardiopulmonary · thoracic cardiac nerves: Superior · Middle · Inferior Abdomen/ Lumbar Sympathetic paravertebral ganglia: Lumbar ganglia prevertebral ganglia: Celiac ganglia (Aorticorenal) · Superior mesenteric ganglion · Inferior mesenteric ganglion prevertebral plexus: Celiac plexus · (Hepatic, Splenic, Pancreatic) · aorticorenal (Abdominal aortic plexus, Renal/Suprarenal) · Superior mesenteric (Gastric) · Inferior mesenteric (Spermatic, Ovarian) · Superior hypogastric (hypogastric nerve, Superior rectal) · Inferior hypogastric (Vesical, Prostatic/Cavernous nerves of penis, Uterovaginal, Middle rectal) splanchnic nerves: Lumbar splanchnic nerves Enteric Meissner's plexus · Auerbach's plexus Pelvis/ sacral Sympathetic paravertebral ganglia: Sacral ganglia · Ganglion impar splanchnic nerves: Sacral splanchnic nerves Parasympathetic splanchnic nerves: Pelvic splanchnic nerves