Plexus bronchiales

The periarterial plexus lies in the adventitia of the arteries, and its bundles anastomose with those of the extrachondral plexus. Fibres of the arterial plexus enter the media with the vasa vasorum and supply its outermost portion. The plexus continues distally as far as the arterioles. 

The perivenous plexus accompanies the veins into the perilobular septa and even reaches the visceral pleura to supply the subpleural alveolar walls. Spencer and Leof (1964) have described twigs of the venous plexus reaching and ramifying in the subendothelial space. A few ganglia are present in the perivenous plexus near the hilus. 

Anti-constitutive-nitric oxide synthase (c-NOS) labelling of human lung specimens showed strong 

The irmervation density of human airway smooth muscle by NOS-containing nerve fibres decreases significantly from trachea to large-diameter bronchi to small-diameter bronchi, whereas nitric oxide synthase (n-NOS, typel NOS)-con-taining nerve fibres are completely absent from bronchioli (Fischer and Hoffmann 1996). Colocalisation of NOS with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) but not with substance was frequent in these nerve fibres. 

The airways are supplied by three basically different types of primary efferent nerve endings  

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Peripheral Gl, vascular and bronchial smooth muscle, vascular endothelium, platelets Peripheral Smooth muscle of ileum, stomach fundus (rat), uterus, vasculature, endothelium Peripheral None identified Peripheral Post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons, sensory neurons Peripheral Cardiac muscle, post-ganglionic parasympathetic neurons (myenteric plexus), esophageal and vascular smooth muscle... 

Infusions of cisplatin into the axillary artery have led to a bronchial plexopathy rather than the more commonly described lumbosacral nerve plexus lesion (93). 

The airways receive their blood supply from the systemic circulation via laryngeal, tracheal and bronchial arteries. In the trachea and large bronchi of humans and other large mammals, branches of arterioles deep in the airway wall supply the airway mucosa. In some peripheral airways, mucosal vessels may be supplied by the pulmonary circulation through vascular anastomoses. The airway mucosa has a rich blood supply, with a p>articularly extensive vascular network located immediately beneath the epithelium. Mucosal capillaries are tributaries of an extensive system of venules. In humans, a superficial plexus of venules connects with another plexus of venules located deeper in the mucosa. 

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