Intrinsic innervation of porcine semilunar heart valves.

In order to provide additional information on the morphology and the functional performance of semilunar valves, the presence of nerve fibers was investigated in the aortic and pulmonary leaflets by AChE techniques, formaldehyde-induced fluorescence methods, en block silver nitrate and gold chloride impregnation and electron microscopy. The results show that AChE positive and adrenergic nerve fibers are constantly present in every leaflet of all the animals examined. The pattern of innervation is similar in aortic and pulmonary valves and no differences exist between coronary and non coronary aortic leaflets. Nerve networks extend over the inferior two-thirds of the leaflets: they are composed of myelinated and non-myelinated axons and are mainly located in the ventricular side of the leaflets. Structures resembling free sensory endings can be shown both by light and electron microscopy. The presence in the leaflets of blood vessels and of an intrinsic smooth muscle system suggests that these two components are the most probable targets of the nerve fibers.