Functional autonomic innervation of mammalian cardiac pacemaker during the perinatal period

Sinoatrial node pacemaker tissues from perinatal and adult rabbits, guinea pigs and rats were examined in vitro. Changes in spontaneous pacemaker rate produced by stimulation of intranodal vagal and sympathetic nerve endings, were taken as a measure of functional postganglionic innervation of the pacemaker. Results show marked species differences in the development of functional innervation of the cardiac pacemaker in the perinatal period.