Zwoje

Zwoje are a Polish term used in anatomy to refer to ganglia, which are clusters of neuronal cell bodies located in the peripheral nervous system outside the central nervous system. They serve as relay and integration points in neural circuits, connecting sensory and autonomic nerves with the central nervous system.

There are several types of zwoje. Sensory ganglia include the dorsal root ganglia and cranial nerve sensory ganglia, where pseudounipolar neurons relay somatic and visceral sensory information. Autonomic ganglia comprise sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia, such as the paravertebral sympathetic chain and prevertebral ganglia, as well as terminal parasympathetic ganglia near target organs. The enteric nervous system contains intramural ganglia in the gastrointestinal tract, notably the myenteric (Auerbach’s) and submucosal (Meissner’s) plexuses, which coordinate GI motility and secretion.

Structure and development: zwoje contain neuron cell bodies, supportive satellite glial cells, and connective tissue. In sensory ganglia, neurons are typically pseudounipolar; in autonomic ganglia, neurons are multipolar. Most ganglionic neurons originate from neural crest cells during embryonic development.

Function and clinical relevance: zwoje act as first-order relay stations and processing centers in reflex and regulatory pathways. Disruptions can be involved in various conditions; for example, neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroma are tumors arising from neural crest–derived cells in sympathetic chain or related regions. Autonomic ganglia can be affected in diabetic autonomic neuropathy or inflammatory processes.

Etymology and usage: the term zwoje is used in Polish medical and anatomical texts to denote these structures, corresponding to the English term ganglia.