title: Postnatal development of the autonomic and sensory innervation of the musculature in the rat urinary bladder.
abstract: The postnatal development of the innervation of the muscle layer in the rat urinary bladder was analysed in whole mount preparations using immunohistochemistry against protein gene-product 9.5 (PGP; general neuronal marker), growth-associated protein 43 (GAP), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP). Immunoreactive nerve fibres for all markers were already present at birth. The density of PGP- and GAP-positive nerve fibres was similar and remained constant throughout the postnatal development. The rank order of densities for the other markers relative to PGP was NPY (129-189%) > CGRP (20-63%) > SP (7-23%) > DBH (7-12%) > VIP (2-11%). While the density of presumably efferent VIP- and DBH-positive fibres did not change postnatally, NPY-positive fibres reached adult density at the fifth postnatal day. Sensory CGRP- and SP-positive nerve fibres approached adult levels at the end of the second week, shortly before the micturition reflex was completely developed. The data suggest that a sufficient relative density of sensory and certain efferent elements might be a prerequisite for the development of the mature micturition reflex.
authors.affiliation: Physiologisches Institut, Tierärztliche Hochschule, Bischofsholer Damm, Hannover, Germany. hsann@physiology.tiho-hannover.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sann
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walb
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Pierau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation*
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide