Human Anatomy, Part 1 - K. A. Dyubenko, A. K. Kolomiysev, Yu. B. Chaykovsky 2002

Special Section
Endocrine glands (ductless glands), glandulae endocrinae (glandulae sine ductibus)
Peripheral Endocrine Organs — Paraganglia

Paraganglia, or Organs of the Chromaffin System [named for their ability to bind chromium salts], are clusters of Cells located in sympathetic ganglia and near major Blood Vessels. They include the para-aortic bodies, corpora paraaortica, situated on both sides of the Abdominal Aorta. The largest of these is found at the Water/144.html">Origin of the inferior mesenteric artery, measuring 8 X 20 mm and up to 3 mm in thickness, as well as at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery into the external and internal carotid Arteries. Here lies the so-called carotid body, glomus caroticum, a spindle-shaped Structure measuring 8 X 15 X 1.5 mm, which represents an aggregation of chromaffin cells.

According to B. I. Lavrentiev, paraganglia serve, among other Functions, as reflexogenic zones due to the presence of a significant number of sensory nerve endings within them.

Glomera play a vital role in the Regulation of Blood flow and blood pressure. They are closely connected with the Sympathetic division of the Autonomic Nervous system.

At the terminal end of the median sacral artery lies one of the largest accumulations of chromaffin cells—the coccygeal body, corpus coccygeum, measuring up to 2.5 mm in length. Additionally, clusters of chromaffin tissue can be found in the retroperitoneal adipose tissue, the walls of blood vessels, and the Gonads.

Chromaffin bodies, much like The adrenal medulla, produce catecholamines.