Ontogeny of neurotransmitter systems in the paracervical ganglion and uterine cervix of the rat

Abstract

The relative density of each neuronal type in the PG was reflected in the density of axons containing the same marker in the cervix. Changes in neurotransmitter/neuropeptide staining of PG neurons or axons in the cervix were not observed as the animals approached puberty.

Cholinergic neurons of the pelvic autonomic ganglia and uterus of the female rat: distribution of axons and presence of muscarinic receptors

“…Though counts were not done, Schäfer et al found high levels of VAChT mRNA, VAChT-ir, and ChAT-ir in a "majority" of PG neurons. Moreover, dense spots or granules of AChE reaction product were commonly seen associated with the neurons in the PG and were considered to be preganglionic terminals or pockets of enzyme stored intracellularly (Kanerva et al 1972a;Sullivan et al 1994;Papka et al 1987). Similar VAChT/ChAT-ir structures were evident in the present study closely apposing ChAT-ir and non-ChAT-ir neurons; such structures were interpreted as preganglionic cholinergic terminals.…”

“…Unlike reports for the PG, descriptions of the cholinergic innervation of the uterine cervix and horns are more consistent; some report a dense nerve supply to the myometrium, basal epithelium and glands (Mustafa et al 1987), dense supply to vasculature and myometrium (Kanerva et al 1972b;Garfield 1986) and especially the cervix (Mäkelä and Grönroos 1959;Papka et al 1985;Melo and Machado 1993;Sullivan et al 1994). In addition, bilateral destruction of the PG causes loss of AChE-positive fibers from the rat uterine myometrium and perivascular space, indicating that the PG is a major source of such fibers (Kanerva et al 1972b).…”

“…The accounts given by these studies vary with regard to the population of neurons that are AChE-positive and the density of AChE-positive "cholinergic" nerves in the uterus. For example, Kanerva (1971) reported intense AChE activity in one-fifth to one-third of the PG neurons, but Papka et al (1987) and Sullivan et al (1994) reported that the majority of PG neurons were AChEpositive and "cholinergic." "Cholinergic" innnervation of the rat uterine cervix and horns is described as moderate to dense in the myometrium and vasculature, moderate to weak in the endometrium, and with thick branching nerve trunks (Kanerva et al 1972b;Papka et al 1985;Garfield 1986;Mustafa et al 1987;Melo and Machado 1993).…”

“…However, reports describing the uterine parasympathetic cholinergic innervation have used indirect markers of cholinergic characteristics, which are nonspecific. Several investigations utilized histochemical staining for the ACh hydrolytic enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to study "cholinergic" neurons in the female rat pelvic paracervical parasympathetic ganglia (PG) and uterus during development (Kanerva 1971;Sullivan et al 1994) and in the adult (Mäkelä and Grönroos 1959;Kanerva et al 1972a;Papka et al 1985Papka et al , 1995aMelo and Machado 1993). The accounts given by these studies vary with regard to the population of neurons that are AChE-positive and the density of AChE-positive "cholinergic" nerves in the uterus.…”