SP-immunoreactive nerve fibers in the bulbourethral glands of male sheep [Polish]

摘要

The aim of the study was to identify nerve fibers immunoreactive to substance P in the bulbourethral glands of male sheep. The occurrence and distribution pattern of substance P-immunoreactive nerve fibers were studied using single immunohistochemical stainings. Co-existence of substance P with calcitonin gene-related peptide in the same nerve fibers was Also studied using double immunohistochemical stainings. Immunohistochemistry reveals that the bulbourethral glands of male sheep are rather poorly supplied with substance P-immunoreactive nerve fibers. Sparse substance P-immunoreactive nerve terminals were evenly distributed throughout the mucosal and muscular layers as well as around the blood vessels of the bulbourethral glands. A co-localization study indicates that immunoreactivity to calcitonin gene-related peptide can also be found in the vast majority of the substance P-immunoreactive nerve fibers. The presence of substance P cannot be detected in some of the-calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive nerve terminals. It is possible that in the bulbourethral glands of male sheep substance P can be involved in several physiological processes including vasoconstriction and transmission of noxious stimuli into the spinal cord but such a hypothesis requires experimental verification.