Vagal afferents from the uterus and cervix provide direct connections to the brainstem.
Animals; Brain Stem/*anatomy & histology; Cervix Uteri/*innervation; Estrogen/metabolism; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Neurons/cytology/metabolism; Rats; Receptors; Sprague-Dawley; Uterus/*innervation; Vagus Nerve/*anatomy & histology/metabolism
Previous anatomical studies demonstrated vagal innervation to the ovary and distal colon and suggested the vagus nerve has uterine inputs. Recent behavioral and physiological evidence indicated that the vagus nerves conduct sensory information from the uterus to the brainstem. The present study was undertaken to identify vagal sensory connections to the uterus. Retrograde tracers, Fluorogold and pseudorabies virus were injected into the uterus and cervix. DiI, an anterograde tracer, was injected into the nodose ganglia. Neurectomies involving the pelvic, hypogastric, ovarian and abdominal vagus nerves were performed, and then uterine whole-mounts examined for sensory nerves containing calcitonin gene-related peptide. Nodose ganglia and caudal brainstem sections were examined for the presence of estrogen receptor-containing neurons in "vagal locales." Labeling of uterine-related neurons in the nodose ganglia (Fluorogold and pseudorabies virus) and in the brainstem nuclei (pseudorabies virus) was obtained. DiI-labeled nerve fibers occurred near uterine horn and uterine cervical blood vessels, in the myometrium, and in paracervical ganglia. Rats with vagal, pelvic, hypogastric and ovarian neurectomies exhibited a marked decrease in calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive nerves in the uterus relative to rats with pelvic, hypogastric, and ovarian neurectomies with intact vagus nerves. Neurons in the nodose ganglia and nucleus tractus solitarius were immunoreactive for estrogen receptors. These results demonstrated: (1) the vagus nerves serve as connections between the uterus and CNS, (2) the nodose ganglia contain uterine-related vagal afferent neuron cell bodies, and (3) neurons in vagal locales contain estrogen receptors.
Collins J J; Lin C E; Berthoud H R; Papka R E
Cell and tissue research
1999
1999-01
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s004410051211" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1007/s004410051211</a>
Distribution and origin of secretoneurin-immunoreactive nerves in the female rat uterus.
Animals; Cervix Uteri/innervation/metabolism; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Ganglia; Ganglia/metabolism; Lumbosacral Region; Nervous System/metabolism; Neuropeptides/*metabolism; Pelvis/innervation; Rats; Secretogranin II; Sensory/metabolism; Spinal Cord/metabolism; Uterus/*innervation
Secretoneurin is a 33-amino acid peptide derived from secretogranin II. Secretoneurin immunoreactivity has been localized in the peripheral nervous system where it exerts potent chemotactic activity for monocytes and may play a role in inflammation. Secretoneurin could play a role in this process, although the presence and distribution of secretoneurin-immunoreactive neurons in the female reproductive system has not been documented. Thus, this study was undertaken to examine secretoneurin immunoreactivity in nerves of the rat uterus and uterine cervix. A moderate plexus of secretoneurin-immunoreactive nerve fibers was present in the myometrium and endometrium of the uterus as well as in the smooth muscle and endocervix of the cervix. Many of these fibers were associated with the vasculature as well as the myometrium. Secretoneurin immunoreactivity was present in small- to medium-sized neurons of dorsal root and nodose ganglia. Retrograde tracing with FluoroGold indicated that some of these sensory neurons project axons to the cervix and uterine horns. Secretoneurin-immunoreactive terminal-like structures were associated with neurons in the sacral parasympathetic nucleus of the lumbosacral spinal cord. In addition, some secretoneurin terminals were apposed to pelvic parasympathetic neurons in the paracervical ganglia that projected axons to the uterus and cervix. Double-immunostaining indicated co-existence of calcitonin gene-related peptide or substance P with secretoneurin in some sensory neurons, in some terminals of the pelvic ganglia, as well as nerve fibers in the uterine horn and cervix. Finally, fibers in the uterus and cervix were depleted of secretoneurin by capsaicin treatment. This study indicates that secretoneurin is present in the uterus in C-afferent nerve fibers whose cell bodies are located in sensory ganglia. Some of these fibers contain both secretoneurin and calcitonin gene-related peptide or substance P. These substances have functions in inflammatory reactions. Further, secretoneurin could influence postganglionic parasympathetic "uterine-related" neurons in the pelvic ganglia and preganglionic parasympathetic neurons in the lumbosacral spinal cord.
Collins J J; Wilson K; Fischer-Colbrie R; Papka R E
Neuroscience
2000
1905-6
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4522(99)00396-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1016/s0306-4522(99)00396-6</a>
Distribution and origin of corticotropin-releasing factor-immunoreactive axons in the female rat lumbosacral spinal cord.
Animals; Axons/*metabolism/ultrastructure; Brain/cytology/*metabolism; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/*metabolism; Efferent Pathways/cytology/*metabolism; Female; Fluorescent Dyes; Herpesvirus 1; Immunohistochemistry; Lumbar Vertebrae; NADPH Dehydrogenase/metabolism; Nitrergic Neurons/cytology/metabolism; Parasympathetic Nervous System/cytology/*metabolism; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/cytology/metabolism; Pons/cytology/metabolism; Pregnancy; Presynaptic Terminals/metabolism/ultrastructure; Rats; Reproduction/physiology; Sacrum; Spinal Cord/cytology/*metabolism; Sprague-Dawley; Suid; Uterus/*innervation
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a neuropeptide traditionally known for its hormonal role in the hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal stress axis. However, CRF has been reported in axons in sites that may be considered outside of the direct stress axis, e.g., in axons in the lumbosacral spinal cord associated with the micturition response. Whether any of these CRF-immunoreactive axons interacts with uterine-related preganglionic autonomic neurons or projection neurons in the lumbosacral spinal cord is unknown. Thus, immunohistochemistry and retrograde tracing were employed to determine the presence, distribution, and origin of
Puder B A; Papka R E
Journal of neuroscience research
2001
2001-12
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.10033" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1002/jnr.10033</a>
Cholinergic neurons of the pelvic autonomic ganglia and uterus of the female rat: distribution of axons and presence of muscarinic receptors.
Acetylcholinesterase/*analysis; Animals; Autonomic/*cytology/physiology/ultrastructure; Autoradiography; Axonal Transport; Axons/physiology/*ultrastructure; Cervix Uteri/*innervation; Choline O-Acetyltransferase/*analysis; Female; Ganglia; Muscarinic/analysis/*metabolism; Quinuclidinyl Benzilate/pharmacokinetics; Rats; Receptors; Spinal Cord/cytology/metabolism; Sprague-Dawley; Tritium; Uterus/*innervation
Acetylcholine (ACh) stimulates contraction of the uterus and dilates the uterine arterial supply. Uterine cholinergic nerves arise from the paracervical ganglia and were, in the past, characterized based on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry. However, the histochemical reaction for acetylcholinesterase provides only indirect evidence of acetylcholine location and is a nonspecific marker for cholinergic nerves. The present study: (1) reevaluated cholinergic neurons of the paracervical ganglia, (2) examined the cholinergic innervation of the uterus by using retrograde axonal tracing and antibodies against molecules specific to cholinergic neurons, choline acetyltransferase and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter, and (3) examined muscarinic receptors in the paracervical ganglia using autoradiography and a radiolabeled agonist. Most ganglionic neurons were choline acetyltransferase- and vesicular acetylcholine transporter-immunoreactive and were apposed by choline acetyltransferase/vesicular acetylcholine transporter-immunoreactive terminals. Retrograde tracing showed that some cholinergic neurons projected axons to the uterus. These nerves formed moderately dense plexuses in the myometrium, cervical smooth muscle and microarterial system of the uterine horns and cervix. Finally, the paracervical ganglia contain muscarinic receptors. These results clearly reveal the cholinergic innervation of the uterus and cervix, a source of these nerves, and demonstrate the muscarinic receptor content of the paracervical ganglia. Cholinergic nerves could play significant roles in the control of uterine myometrium and vasculature.
Papka R E; Traurig H H; Schemann M; Collins J; Copelin T; Wilson K
Cell and tissue research
1999
1999-05
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s004410051290" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1007/s004410051290</a>
Calretinin-immunoreactive nerves in the uterus, pelvic autonomic ganglia, lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia and lumbosacral spinal cord.
Animals; Autonomic/*metabolism; Calbindin 2; Capsaicin/pharmacology; Female; Ganglia; Immunohistochemistry; Lumbosacral Region; Nerve Fibers/drug effects/metabolism; Pelvis; Rats; S100 Calcium Binding Protein G/*metabolism; Spinal Cord/*metabolism; Spinal/*metabolism; Sprague-Dawley; Uterus/*innervation
Nerves containing the calcium-binding protein calretinin have been reported in several organs but not in female reproductive organs and associated ganglia. This study was undertaken to determine if nerves associated with the uterus contain calretinin and the source(s) of calretinin-synthesizing nerves in the rat (are they sensory, efferent, or both?). Calretinin-immunoreactive nerves were present in the uterine horns and cervix where they were associated with arteries, uterine smooth muscle, glands, and the epithelium. Calretinin-immunoreactive terminals were apposed to neurons in the paracervical ganglia; in addition, some postganglionic neurons in this ganglion were calretinin positive. Calretinin perikarya were present in the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia, no-dose ganglia, and lumbosacral spinal cord. Retrograde axonal tracing, utilizing Fluorogold injected into the uterus or paracervical parasympathetic ganglia, revealed calretinin-positive/Fluorogold-labeled neurons in the dorsal root and nodose ganglia. Also, capsaicin treatment substantially reduced the calretinin-positive fibers in the uterus and pelvic ganglia, thus indicating the sensory nature of these fibers. The presence of calretinin immunoreactivity identifies a subset of nerves that are involved in innervation of the pelvic viscera and have origins from lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia and vagal nodose ganglia. Though the exact function of calretinin in these nerves is not currently known, calretinin is likely to play a role in calcium regulation and their function.
Papka R E; Collins J; Copelin T; Wilson K
Cell and tissue research
1999
1999-10
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s004419900071" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1007/s004419900071</a>