Paraganglia form a system formed by widely dispersed collections of specialized neural crest cells that arise in association with the segmental or collateral autonomic ganglia throughout the body.

Components

 adrenal medulla (adrenal paraganglia)
 extra-adrenal paraganglia

• branchiomeric paraganglia (chemoreceptors associated with arterial vessels and cranial nerves of the head and neck)
  • jugulotympanic paraganglia
  • orbital paraganglia
  • intercarotid paraganglia (carotid bodies and glomus jugulare)
  • subclavian paraganglia
  • laryngeal paraganglia
  • coronary paraganglia
  • aorticopulmonary paraganglia (aortic bodies)

• intravagal paraganglia
  • vagal body (jugular ganglion)

• aortosympathetic paraganglia (aortic bifurcation region, ilaic and femoral vessels regions)

Pathology

 tumors: paragangliomas