Final answer:
Sympathetic chain ganglia are aligned along the vertebral column and are associated with the sympathetic nervous system, collagen ganglia are located outside the chain and reached by splanchnic nerves, and intramural ganglia are within organ walls, associated with the parasympathetic system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sympathetic chain ganglia differ from collateral ganglia and intramural ganglia based on their anatomical locations and roles in the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic chain ganglia are a series of ganglia located along the vertebral column, receiving input from the thoracic and upper lumbar spinal cord, and are involved in regulating the sympathetic aspect of homeostatic mechanisms, including the innervation of the trachea at the spinal nerve T1 level. Collateral ganglia, on the other hand, lie outside of the sympathetic chain and are reached by preganglionic fibers via the splanchnic nerves; they include the celiac, inferior mesenteric, and superior mesenteric ganglia, targeting organs in the abdominal cavity such as the stomach.
In contrast, intramural ganglia, also known as terminal ganglia, are found in the walls of the target organs themselves and are mostly part of the parasympathetic nervous system, regulating homeostatic mechanisms through cranial nerves or sacral spinal nerves. An example is the dual innervation of the heart, where both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems play roles in regulating heart rate through different sets of ganglia.