Calretinin-immunoreactive nerves in the uterus, pelvic autonomic ganglia, lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia and lumbosacral spinal cord.

Title

Calretinin-immunoreactive nerves in the uterus, pelvic autonomic ganglia, lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia and lumbosacral spinal cord.

Creator

Papka R E; Collins J; Copelin T; Wilson K

Publisher

Cell and tissue research

Date

1999
1999-10

Description

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.

Subject

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

Rights

Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

Pages

63–74

Issue

1

Volume

298

Citation

Papka R E; Collins J; Copelin T; Wilson K, “Calretinin-immunoreactive nerves in the uterus, pelvic autonomic ganglia, lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia and lumbosacral spinal cord.,” NEOMED Bibliography Database, accessed October 5, 2024, https://neomed.omeka.net/items/show/3190.