title: Localization of calretinin in the rat ovary and in relation to nerve cell bodies in dorsal root and paravertebral ganglia projecting to the ovary.
abstract: Retrograde tracing with True Blue was combined with immunocytochemistry to determine the source of any calretinin-immunoreactive (CR-ir) nerves projecting to the rat ovary. In the ovary, a strong signal for calretinin immunoreactivity was localized in interstitial gland cells; however, no intraovarian CR-ir nerves could be demonstrated. When the superior ovarian nerve was isolated, cut, and True Blue applied to the proximal end, the fluorescent dye was retrogradely transported to a population of cells located in T-12, T-13, and L-1 dorsal root and paravertebral ganglia. There was virtually no dual labeling of cells in these ganglia with calretinin (< 0.009% dual labeling in dorsal root and <0.014% in paravertebral ganglia). However, greater than two-thirds of the True Blue-labeled cells were immediately adjacent to CR-ir cells in dorsal root ganglia. This arrangement is suggestive of a paracrine mechanism between CR-ir cells and cells projecting to the ovary. In paravertebral ganglia, 63% of cells projecting to the ovary were surrounded completely or partially by beaded CR-ir nerve fibers. The source of these fibers (sensory or preganglionic sympathetic) is unknown but hypothesized to be preganglionic. Collectively, these observations suggest a participatory role for calretinin in ovarian function, either directly via effects on the interstitial gland or indirectly by influencing neurons projecting to the ovary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, USA. burdenh@mail.ecu.edu
authors.forename: Hubert W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Burden
authors.forename: Joan T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Zary
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans; D064032:Calbindin 2; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000276:immunology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; C576512:Calb2 protein, rat; D064032:Calbindin 2; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; C038675:true blue