title: A double-label immunohistochemical study of intramural ganglia from the human male urinary bladder neck.
abstract: Double-label immunocytochemistry was used to investigate the colocalisation of various neuropeptides and the enzymes nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in intramural ganglia of the human male urinary bladder neck and trigone. Postmortem specimens were obtained from 7 male infants and children ranging in age from 2 mo to 3 y who had died as a result of cot death or accidental trauma. On average 60% of the intramural neurons were non-TH-immunoreactive (-IR) (i.e. presumptive cholinergic) and 40% were TH- and D beta H-IR (i.e. noradrenergic). Within the non-TH-IR population, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was found in 65% of cells, neuropeptide Y (NPY) in 90%, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in 45%, somatostatin (SOM) in 90%, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in 40%. The corresponding values for the TH-IR neurons were CGRP (54%), NPY (70%), NOS (58%), SOM (73%) and VIP (40%). All the observed bombesin (BOM)-immunoreactivity was colocalised with TH while 90% of VIP and almost all the CGRP was colocalised with NPY. Less than 5% of neurons were immunoreactive for substance P (SP) or met-enkephalin (m-ENK) and some of these also contained TH. Varicose nerve fibres were seen in close proximity to some of the intramural neurons, the majority of such varicosities showing immunoreactivity to CGRP, VIP or TH. Less common were pericellular varicosities immunoreactive to NPY, SOM or SP. These results demonstrate the neurochemical heterogeneity of intramural neurons in the human bladder neck and provide indirect evidence for the complexity of the peripheral innervation of the human urinary bladder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Jen
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gosling
mesh_terms: D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000032:analysis; D005724:Ganglia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000294:innervation*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide