The Organ of Zuckerkandl is a chromaffin

Chromaffin

Taking up and staining strongly with Chromium salts.Chromaffin may refer to:*Chromaffin cells, neuroendocrine cells in the adrenal medulla.*Chromophil cells, hormone producing cells showing chromaffin granules that readily absorb chromium stains....

 body derived from neural crest

Neural crest

Neural crest cells are a transient, multipotent, migratory cell population unique to vertebrates that gives rise to a diverse cell lineage including melanocytes, craniofacial cartilage and bone, smooth muscle, peripheral and enteric neurons and glia....

 located at the bifurcation of the aorta

Aorta

The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...

 or at the origin of the inferior mesenteric artery

Inferior mesenteric artery

In human anatomy, the inferior mesenteric artery, often abbreviated as IMA, supplies the large intestine from the left colic flexure to the upper part of the rectum, which includes the descending colon, the sigmoid colon, and part of the rectum...

. It can be the source of pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytoma

A pheochromocytoma or phaeochromocytoma is a neuroendocrine tumor of the medulla of the adrenal glands , or extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue that failed to involute after birth and secretes excessive amounts of catecholamines, usually noradrenaline , and adrenaline to a lesser extent...

.

The term "paraaortic bodies" is also sometimes used to describe it, as it usually arises near the abdominal aorta

Abdominal aorta

The abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the abdominal cavity. As part of the aorta, it is a direct continuation of the descending aorta .-Path:...

, but this term can be the source of confusion, because the term "corpora paraaortica" is also used to describe the aortic body

Aortic body

In the human heart, the aortic body is one of several small clusters of chemoreceptors, baroreceptors, and supporting cells located along the aortic arch.-Function:...

, which arises near the thoracic aorta

Thoracic aorta

The thoracic aorta is contained in the posterior mediastinal cavity.It begins at the lower border of the fourth thoracic vertebra where it is continuous with the aortic arch, and ends in front of the lower border of the twelfth thoracic vertebra, at the aortic hiatus in the diaphragm where it...

.

Function

Its physiological role is thought to be of greatest importance during the early gestational period as a homeostatic regulator of blood pressure

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...

, secreting catecholamines into the fetal circulation.

The organ itself regresses in the late third trimester and following birth to form the aorticosympathetic group of the adult paraganglia

Paraganglia

The paraganglia are small groups of chromaphil cells connected with the ganglia of the sympathetic trunk and the ganglia of the celiac, renal, suprarenal, aortic and hypogastric plexuses...

.

Pathology

It can be the source of paraganglioma

Paraganglioma

A paraganglioma is a rare neuroendocrine neoplasm that may develop at various body sites . About 97% are benign and cured by surgical removal; the remaining 3% are malignant because they are able to produce distant metastases...

.

The Organ of Zuckerkandl is of pathological significance in the adult as a common extra-adrenal site of pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytoma

A pheochromocytoma or phaeochromocytoma is a neuroendocrine tumor of the medulla of the adrenal glands , or extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue that failed to involute after birth and secretes excessive amounts of catecholamines, usually noradrenaline , and adrenaline to a lesser extent...

 though the most common extra-adrenal site is in the superior para-aortic region between the diaphragm and lower renal poles.

Extra-adrenal tumors account for around 10% of all cases of pheochromocytoma. Resection has been described.

In addition to its endocrine effects, it can also cause obstructive pathology.

Eponym

This diffuse group of neuroendocrine sympathetic fibres was first described by Emil Zuckerkandl

Emil Zuckerkandl

----Emil Zuckerkandl was a Hungarian-Austrian anatomist.He was educated at the University of Vienna and was an admiring student of Josef Hyrtl...

, a professor of anatomy

Anatomy

Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...

 at the University of Vienna

University of Vienna

The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...

, in 1901.

Nomenclature

Some sources equate the "aortic bodies" and "paraaortic bodies", while other sources explicitly distinguish between the two. When a distinction is made, the "aortic bodies" are chemoreceptors which regulate circulation

Circulatory system

The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, etc...

, while the "paraaortic bodies" are the chromaffin cells which manufacture catecholamine

Catecholamine

Catecholamines are molecules that have a catechol nucleus consisting of benzene with two hydroxyl side groups and a side-chain amine. They include dopamine, as well as the "fight-or-flight" hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline released by the adrenal medulla of the adrenal glands in response to...

s.