THE ADRENERGIC INNERVATION OF THE VAS DEFERENS AND THE ACCESSORY MALE GENITAL GLANDS An experimental comparative study of its anatomical and functional organization in some mammals including the presence of adrenaline and chromaffin cells in these organs

摘要

The adrenergic innervation of the vas deferens and the accessory male glands of some mammals and the presence of adrenaline and "chromaffin" cells in these organs were investigated by the following methods:n1. The effect of ganglionic blocking agents was studied on the isolated guinea-pig vas deferens hypogastric nerve preparation.n2. The catecholamine content of the vas deferens and the accessory male glands of hedgehog, macaque, rabbit, rat, mouse, guinea-pig, dog, fox, cat, boar, bull, and ram and the vas deferens of man was estimated fluorimetrically. Estimation of catecholamines after hypogastric denervation was per¬formed on rabbit, macaque, rat, guinea-pig, dog, cat and ram, after pelvic denervation on dog and after lumbosacral sympathectomy on cat.n3. The cellular localization of the catecholamines in the internal accessory male genital organs of rabbit, rat, guinea-pig, dog, cat and macaque was studied with a fluorescence microscopic method. The effect of hypogastric denervation was investigated on rabbit, rat, guinea-pig, dog and cat and the effect lumbosacral sympathectomy on cat.nThe following results were obtained:n1. The motor response of the guinea-pig vas deferens to hypogastric nerve stimulation was blocked by ganglionic blocking agents. Decentralization of the inferior mesenteric ganglion almost abolished the response to hypogastric nerve stimulation but "normal" contractions were elicited if the stimulation electrodes were placed close to the vas deferens. These responses could not be obliterated by ganglionic blockers.n2. Most of the accessory male organs and above all the vas deferens con-tained exceptionally high concentrations of noradrenaline. There seemed to be a gross correlation between noradrenaline content and amount of smooth muscle in the organs;thus organs with a high proportion of glandular parenchyma had a lower content than organs possessing strong muscular coats. The vas deferens of dog and fox had an exceptionally low noradrena¬line content when compared with the other mammals (and also with the cock and the tortoise). The bulbo-urethral glands had a low noradrenaline content.nNo significant reduction in organ content of noradrenaline was seen after hypogastric denervation. Pelvic denervation in the dog caused no obvious decrease in noradrenaline content of the vas deferens. After lumbosacral denervation there was a moderate decrease of noradrenaline in the cat vas deferens.nThe internal male genital organs of the macaque contained besides nora-drenaline also remarkably large amounts of adrenaline. Adrenaline could also be found in the prostate of the dog.n3. The high content of noradrenaline corresponded with a very dense distri¬bution of adrenergic terminals in the smooth muscle of the organs. Secretory cells seemed not to have an adrenergic innervation. The vas deferens of dog had a sparse adrenergic innervation but a dense network of nonadrenergic nerves.nThe adrenergic terminals of the internal male genital organs persisted after hypogastric denervation. After resection of the lumbosacral sympathetic chain there was a marked reduction in vascular innervation of the vas de¬ferens and the prostate of cat but no visible decrease in amount of adrenergic terminals in the muscular coats.nThe adrenergic fibers of the internal male genital organs were found to originate from adrenergic cell bodies located close to or within the walls of these organs.nIn the vas deferens, the seminal vesicle and the prostate of the macaque and in the prostates of dog and cat small polymorf cells with short processes containing high amounts of catecholamines were present. Most of these "chromaffin" cells in macaque and dog seemed to contain adrenaline;those of the cat prostate showed histochemical characteristics of a primary cate¬cholamine.nFrom the results it is concluded that:n1. The vas deferens and the accessory male genital glands of the examined species—in contrast to the general pattern of adrenergic innervation in mam¬mals—are innervated by short adrenergic neurons and have an exceptionally rich adrenergic innervation.n2. Adrenaline in the internal male genital organs is mainly stored in "chro¬maffin" cells.nIt is further suggested that the rich adrenergic innervation of the vas de¬ferens and the accessory male genital glands is of importance for the emission.nIt is also suggested that the innervation of these organs by short adrenergic neurons may be of importance for the emission.