The arrow indicates which structure?

The arrow indicates which structure?

• A. Capsule of sympathetic ganglion
• B. Perineurium
• C. Satellite cells
• D. Sympathetic neurons of sympathetic ganglion

Answer: (D)

Postganglionic sympathetic neurons reside in the sympathetic ganglia, and their cell bodies are the dominant large neurons seen within the ganglionic tissue. The arrow is pointing to such a large neuronal soma, typical of a postganglionic neuron, with the surrounding satellite glial cells nearby. The fibrous capsule encasing the ganglion would be outside this, not the neuron itself, and the perineurium surrounds nerve fascicles rather than the ganglion as a whole. Satellite cells do surround neuronal somata, but the feature the arrow highlights is the neuron’s cell body itself, not the surrounding glial layer. Therefore, the indicated structure is the sympathetic neuron of the sympathetic ganglion.

Postganglionic sympathetic neurons reside in the sympathetic ganglia, and their cell bodies are the dominant large neurons seen within the ganglionic tissue. The arrow is pointing to such a large neuronal soma, typical of a postganglionic neuron, with the surrounding satellite glial cells nearby. The fibrous capsule encasing the ganglion would be outside this, not the neuron itself, and the perineurium surrounds nerve fascicles rather than the ganglion as a whole. Satellite cells do surround neuronal somata, but the feature the arrow highlights is the neuron’s cell body itself, not the surrounding glial layer. Therefore, the indicated structure is the sympathetic neuron of the sympathetic ganglion.