Innervation of the Human Vaginal Mucosa as Revealed by PGP 9.5 Immunohistochemistry

Abstract

In order to obtain a description of the innervation of the vaginal wall we employed an antiserum against the general neuronal marker, protein gene product 9.5, on normal human vaginal mucosa. Specimens were taken from the anterior and posterior fornices, from the anterior vaginal wall at the bladder neck level and from the introitus vaginae region, and then processed for indirect immunohistochemistry. All regions studied revealed a profound innervation, although regional differences were noted. The more distal areas of the vaginal wall had more nerve fibers compared to the more proximal parts. Also, biopsies from the anterior wall generally were more densely innervated than the posterior wall. Some large nerve coils were observed in lamina propria of the anterior wall as well as gatherings of thick-walled medium-sized blood vessels. Free intraepithelial nerve endings were only detected in the introitus vaginae region. These fibers were very thin, always varicose and could be observed just a few cell layers from the surface. In this part of the vagina, protein gene product 9.5 anti¬bodies also stained cells within the basal parts of the epithelium. These cells were also neurone-specific enolase positive and resembled, from a morphological point of view, Merkel cells.

Mechanisms and Evidence of Genital Coevolution: The Roles of Natural Selection, Mate Choice, and Sexual Conflict

“…Even though precopulatory female choice may play a role in penis length in humans (Mautz et al 2013), whether copulatory female choice for genital features also takes place is unknown. The female vagina is densely innervated, particularly its anterior and posterior walls (Hilleges et al 1995), and clearly this sensory ability can allow females to sense male penis size. Although previous studies have shown strong variation in genitalia among human ethnic groups (vagina: Pendergrass et al 2000; penis: data by country compiled in Khan et al 2012), there has been no rigorous effort to study human genital size coevolution with comparative analyses using standardized methods.…”

Increased Intraepithelial Innervation in Women with Vulvar Vestibulitis Syndrome

“…Control sections were incubated with antiserum only. The material was examined and photographed in a Leitz Aristoplan microscope equipped with light-and dark-field optics [15,16].…”

Sexual function among women with stress incontinence after using transobturator vaginal tape, and its correlation with patient’s expectations

“…Disturbed sexual function was reported during repair of either posterior vaginal defects, due to narrowing and dyspareunia [13], or by operations for SUI, due to disruption of vaginal innervation which is concentrated in the anterior and distal part of the vagina [7].…”