title: Innervation of the human uterine artery and contractile responses to neuropeptides.
abstract: The intrinsic innervation of the human uterine artery was investigated histochemically, and the motor responses to some of the demonstrated peptides and other humoral factors were studied on isolated vascular preparations. There were nerves with specific immunoreactivities for tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine beta-hydroxylase, neuropeptide-Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and peptide histidine methionine, and enzymatic reactivity for acetylcholine esterase. The most effective stimulator of smooth muscle contractility was arginine vasopressin followed in order by oxytocin, noradrenaline together with NPY, noradrenaline alone and dopamine. No effect was seen with acetylcholine and tyrosine, and VIP caused inconsistent relaxation of contractile activity induced by PGF2 alpha. These results suggest that the uterine blood flow is regulated by complex interactions of factors, some occurring in nerve terminals and some being circulating humoral factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ekesbo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alm
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ekström
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lundberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akerlund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000294:innervation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents