title: The intramural innervation of the rabbit upper urinary tract.
abstract: The role of the autonomic innervation of the upper urinary tract for pyeloureteral motility is not completely understood. It is still debatable if the autonomic nervous system might play a modulating role on the ureteral peristalsis. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution and regional variation of the intramural innervation using whole-mount preparations of the rabbit upper urinary tract. Whole-mount preparation was performed at upper urinary tracts of healthy rabbits. Immunohistochemistry was employed using Neurofilament (NF), Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH), Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT) and Substance P (SP) antibodies. NADPH-diaphorase and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry was carried out at the specimens. The stains were evaluated using brightfield, fluorescence and laser confocal microscopy. NF-, TH-, ChAT- and SP-immunoreactive (-IR) nerves formed distinct neuronal plexuses at the submucosal and muscle layers. Perivascular TH-, ChAT- and SP-IR fibres were demonstrated. AChE positive nerves were revealed in all layers, but only moderate NADPH-diaphorase positive innervation was found. Renal pelvis, upper and lower ureter showed enriched intrinsic innervation. Ganglia were found at the ureteropelvic border and the distal ureter. Whole-mount preparation technique revealed detailed informations about morphology and regional variation of the intramural innervation of the rabbit upper urinary tract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, University of Leipzig, Oststr. 21-25, 04317 Leipzig, Germany. udorolle@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rolle
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brylla
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chertin
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cascio
authors.forename: Prem
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puri
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase