Splanchnic Mechanoreceptors in the Dog

Single unit recordings from the splanchnic nerve of the dog have demonstrated the presence of Aδ and C fibres which respond to mechanical stimuli. The units gave tonic discharges in response to maintained mechanical stimuli and the majority had punctate mechanosensitive sites which occurred at vascular divisions. The receptive fields consisted of between one and eight such mechanosensitive sites. Mechanoreceptors have been found in the body and antrum of the stomach, duodenum and/or pancreas, spleen, greater and lesser omenta, small intestine, ascending and transverse colon, mesenteric root, pre‐renal area and ovary.