Elsevier

Neuroscience

Volume 158, Issue 2, 23 January 2009, Pages 786-797
Neuroscience

Neuroanatomy
Spinal neurons involved in the control of the seminal vesicles: A transsynaptic labeling study using pseudorabies virus in rats

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.10.008Get rights and content

Abstract

The seminal vesicles are male accessory sex glands that mainly contribute the seminal fluid of the ejaculate. Previous studies have suggested that seminal vesicles are supplied by both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. However, this conclusion was mainly based on studies in pelvic major ganglions and direct neuroanatomical evidence of spinal neurons innervating the seminal vesicles is still lacking. In order to map the spinal nerve circuit innervating the seminal vesicles, the present study used the pseudorabies virus (PRV) retrograde tracing technique in combination with immunohistochemistry. Three groups of rats were prepared: (1) nerves intact; (2) right hypogastric nerve and bilateral pelvic nerves sectioned; (3) right pelvic and bilateral hypogastric nerves sectioned. For the intact group, 3 to 5 days after injection of PRV into the left seminal vesicle in male rats, immunohistochemistry for PRV was performed to map the control circuit. Double immunofluorescence experiments against PRV and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were performed to discriminate preganglionic neurons and interneurons. Double detection of PRV and galanin (GAL) was also performed to identify lumbar spinothalamic (LSt) cells. Three days after virus injection, both sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons were retrograde-labeled. Four days after injection of PRV into the seminal vesicles, PRV-infected neurons were found in the dorsal horn, ventral horn, dorsal gray commissure (DGC), medial gray matter and intermediolateral cell column (IML) from T13 to S1. For the group with an intact hypogastric nerve, 4 days after injection of PRV into the seminal vesicles, PRV-infected neurons were mainly located in DGC and IML of spinal lumbar segments (L) 1–L2. However, in the group with an intact pelvic nerve, PRV-infected neurons were mainly located in DGC of L5–S1 spinal segments. At the L3–L4 level, most of the virus-labeled neurons around the central canal expressed immunoreactivity for GAL, strongly suggesting that they could be LSt cells. These anatomical data support the idea that the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system are both involved in the control of the seminal vesicles and we demonstrated a connection between preganglionic neurons innervating the seminal vesicles and LSt cells which play a crucial role in coordinating the spinal control of ejaculation.

Section snippets

Animals

Twenty adult male Sprague–Dawley rats (Harlan France, France, 250–330 g) were used for this study. Rats were kept in animal facilities under a 12-h light/dark cycle, light at 8:00 a.m., with food and water ad libitum. Three groups of rats were prepared (1) both hypogastric and pelvic nerves were kept intact (n=10); (2) the right hypogastric nerve (HGN) and both pelvic nerves were sectioned (n=5). In order to maintain the animals in healthy condition, the urine was expressed manually three times

Nerve intact

Three days after PRV retrograde tracing from the left seminal vesicle (n=3), labeled neurons were found in the L1–L2 levels and L6–S1 levels. About 27% of all PRV-positive neurons were found in the ipsilateral IML in segments L1–L2, fewer (5%) labeled neurons were found on the contralateral side corresponding to the site of sympathetic preganglionic neurons of the HGNs. Fifty-five percent of all PRV-positive neurons were found in the ipsilateral SPN in segments L6–S1 corresponding to the site

Discussion

This study provides direct mapping of spinal neurons innervating rat seminal vesicles and confirms that seminal vesicles are innervated by both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves (Kepper and Keast, 1997).

The seminal vesicles consist of glandular secretory tissue surrounded by smooth muscle. They produce complex secretions which are emptied into the lumen of the urogenital duct contributing to the fluid component of semen (for review, see Setchell, 1994). Only limited data are available

Conclusion

We have identified sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord that simultaneously innervate the seminal vesicles in the rat. A group of neurons which expresses GAL-IR was also located in MG of L3–L4 levels and is closely connected with sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons. These data suggest that LSt neurons also control the seminal vesicle and are involved in coordination of the spinal control of ejaculation.

Acknowledgments

Prof. Lynn W. Enquist (Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA) is warmly acknowledged for his contribution by providing the bartha strain of PRV and the antiserum against PRV.

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