This book, covering many key aspects of autonomic nervous system maturation, was suggested by the success of a symposium on the developing autonomic nervous system held at the Spring 1982 meeting of the Federation of American Scientists for Experi­ mental Biology (Federation Proceedings 1983, 42, 1609). It was obvi­ ous from the F ASEB symposium that there is increasing interest in the developing autonomic nervous system, particularly with respect to its role in regulating visceral function. Some additional topics that were not covered in the F ASEB symposium are also included in this book. The editor feels that the readers of this volume are, in all probability, already cognizant of the state of knowledge of the adult autonomic nervous system. Therefore, a review of classical autonomic physiology, pharmacology, and neuroanatomy is not provided. For a recent detailed discussion of the ontogeny and phylog­ eny of the developing nervous system, I would recommend the book published not long ago by D. Purves and J. W. Lichtman, Principles of Neural Development (Sinauer, Sunderland, MA, 1985). Another recent book, Autonomic Nerve Funtion in the Vertebrates by F. Nilsson (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1984), presents a compar­ ative examination of autonomic nervous system function in verte­ brates. For a summary of recent advances in the many aspects of catecholamines as they bear on autonomic nervous system re­ search, I would recommend the series of three books edited by E.

Inhalt

1 Ontogeny of the Autonomic Nervous System: Cell Line Divergence and Differentiation.- 2 Development of Peripheral Parasympathetic Neurons and Synapses.- 3 Development of the Sympathoadrenal Axis.- 4 Endocrine Control of Synaptic Development in the Sympathetic Nervous System: The Cardiac-Sympathetic Axis.- 5 Development of Ans Innervation to the Avian Heart.- 6 Development of Autonomic Innervation in Mammalian Myocardium.- 7 Autonomic Effects in the Developing Heart.- 8 Development, Aging and Plasticity of Perivascular Autonomic Nerves.- 9 Regulation of Regional Vascular Beds by the Developing Autonomic Nervous System.- 10 Relationships Between the Sympathetic Nervous System and Functional Development of Smooth Muscle End Organs.- 11 Development of Central Autonomic regulation of Cardiovascular Function.- 12 Developmental Changes in Neural Control of Respiration.- Appendix: List of Abbreviations.