Mammalian ovarian function is under endocrine and neural control. Although the extrinsic innervation of the ovary has been implicated in the control of both ovarian development and mature function, it is now clear that, from rats to humans, the ovary is endowed with a network of intrinsic neurons displaying diverse chemical phenotypes. This article describes the presence of these intrinsic neurons in the ovary of different mammalian species, and discusses the possible functions that they may have in the regulation of ovarian physiology.

Mammalian ovarian function is regulated by both hormonal inputs and direct neural influences. Recent studies have shown that, in addition to the extrinsic innervation, the ovaries of nonhuman primates and a strain of rats contain a discrete population of intrinsic neurons. In the present study, we used histological and immunohistochemical approaches to identify the presence of neuronal cell bodies in the fetal and neonatal human ovary. Neurons containing neurofilament immunoreactivity were detected in the hilum and medulla of the ovary at all ages studied, ranging from 24 weeks of gestation to 10 months of postnatal age. Most of them coexpressed the low affinity neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), and some were catecholaminergic, as determined by their content of immunoreactive tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis. The presence of intrinsic neurons in the human ovary, similar to those previously found in other species, indicates that they may be engaged in regulating common, phylogenetically conserved, ovarian functions. It also raises the possibility that their dysfunction may contribute to the manifestation of particular ovarian pathologies.

Previous studies have shown the presence of neuronal perikarya in the primate ovary, but not in the ovary from Sprague-Dawley rats. We report here that while such intrinsic neurons are indeed absent in this strain of rats, they can be visualized in the ovary from Wistar rats. The neurons, identified by their morphology and by the expression of NeuN (a neuron-specific nuclear protein), were detected at all postnatal intervals examined, from 14 h after birth to 50 days of age. While they were present in the ovarian hilum and medulla at all ages studied, neurons first appeared in the ovarian cortex during the juvenile period (postnatal days 10-20). In all cases, the size of the neuronal soma increased significantly during prepubertal development, reaching maximal values before puberty. Some neurons were catecholaminergic, as indicated by their content of immunoreactive tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme of catecholamine biosynthesis. Some showed neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactivity. TH-positive neurons were seen either in isolation or clustered in ganglion-like structures in both the ovarian cortex and medulla. These results indicate that ovarian neurons are not present in all strains of rats, but when present, the chemical phenotype of some of them is of a sympathetic nature, similar to that described in primates.

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