[Electrophysiology research on the spinal nerve source of rabbit penis cutaneous sensation].
OBJECTIVE
To explicate the spinal nerve source of the rabbit penis cutaneous sensation.


METHODS
Twelve adult male rabbits were randomly divided into two groups of equal number. While mechanical stimuli were given to the penis by different von Frey hairs, single fiber activities were recorded in vivo in the left (Group A) and right (Group B) S1-S4 spinal nerves, respectively. The mechanical threshold, adaptability and conduction velocity of the fibers were analyzed.


RESULTS
When the ipsilateral penis was mechanically stimulated, discharges were detected in S2 and S3 spinal nerve fibers, but not in S1 and S4. The discharge fibers were 39.67 +/- 3.14 (S2) and 21.00 +/- 2.19 (S3) in the left spinal nerve and 40.00 +/- 3.16 (S2) and 19.67 +/- 2.58 (S3) in the right. There was no obvious difference between the numbers of the left spinal nerves and the right ones (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The rabbit penis cutaneous sensation originates from S2 and S3 spinal nerves.
Li
Wen-peng
WP
Department of Plastic Surgery, Changzheng Hospital Affiliated to the Second Military Medical University, Shang-hai 200003, China.
Jiang
Hua
H
Liu
Ying
Y
Wu
Bao-jin
BJ
Chen
Gang
G
D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D008297:Male; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D010413:Penis; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000502:physiology*