title: Ultrastructural analysis of the cavernous and dorsal penile nerves in experimental diabetes.
abstract: The present study was designed to investigate whether experimental diabetes determines structural changes in peripheral nerves involved in reflexogenic erection, namely the cavernous and the dorsal nerve of the penis. Myelinated axons were examined in the dorsal nerve of the penis from rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes (3- and 6-month duration). Morphometric analysis disclosed a significant decrease of myelinated fibre size most likely due to a progressive axonal atrophy. In addition, morphological analysis revealed diffuse accumulation of glycogen within axons, lipid droplets in Schwann cells and pronounced sequestration of axoplasm by adaxonal Schwann cell processes. These signs were particularly prominent in 6-month-diabetic rats. Myelinated and unmyelinated axons of the cavernous nerve were analysed in 6-month-diabetic animals. No substantial ultrastructural abnormalities were found in the cavernous nerves. These results suggest that in experimental diabetes regionally specific structural changes occur in neuronal pathways subserving erectile function.
authors.affiliation: Fidia Research Laboratories, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Italiano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guidolin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Venturin
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pescatori
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pagano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Triban
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calabrò
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010413:Penis / Q000294:innervation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose