Postganglionic nerve fibers
Sympathetic connections of the ciliary and superior cervical ganglia.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	neurofibrae postganglionicae
TA98	A14.2.00.010
FMA	76569
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

In theautonomic nervous system,nerve fibers from theganglion to theeffector organ are calledpostganglionic nerve fibers.

The neurotransmitters of postganglionic fibers differ:

• In theparasympathetic division, neurons arecholinergic. That is to sayacetylcholine is the primaryneurotransmitter responsible for the communication between neurons on theparasympathetic pathway.
• In thesympathetic division, neurons are mostlyadrenergic (that is,epinephrine andnorepinephrine function as the primary neurotransmitters). Notable exceptions to this rule include the sympathetic innervation ofsweat glands andarrectores pilorum muscles where the neurotransmitter at both pre and post ganglionic synapses isacetylcholine. Another notable structure is the medulla of theadrenal gland, where chromaffin cells function as modified post-ganglionic nerves. Instead of releasing epinephrine and norepinephrine into a synaptic cleft, these cells of the adrenal medulla release the catecholamines into the blood stream as hormones.^[1] Like other components of the sympathetic nervous system, all of these exceptions are still stimulated by cholinergic preganglionic fibers.
• In both divisions of theautonomic nervous system, postganglionic neurons expressnicotinic acetylcholine receptors to receive signals frompreganglionic neurons.^[2]

• Nerve fiber
• Terminal cisterna
• Rexed lamina
• Preganglionic nerve fiber
• Splanchnic nerve
• Lateral grey column

• Autonomic nervous system

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