title: Demonstration of intrinsic innervation of the guinea pig upper urinary tract using whole-mount preparation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The morphology and functional importance of the autonomic nervous system in the upper urinary tract is still not completely understood. Previous histological studies investigating the innervation of the urinary tract have mainly used conventional sections in which the three-dimensional structure of the intramural innervation is difficult to achieve. In contrast, the whole-mount preparation technique is a suitable method for visualizing the distribution of the mesh-like neuronal networks within the urinary tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  The distribution and regional variation of neurofilament (NF), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and substance P-immunoreactive (SP-IR) neurons, as well as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d)-positive neurons were investigated using whole-mount preparations of the guinea pig upper urinary tract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two distinct nervous plexuses were detected within the muscle layers containing NF, TH, ChAT, and SP-IR nerves. AChE-positive nerves were seen in all layers. Only moderate NADPH-d-positive innervation was found. Renal pelvis, upper and lower part of the ureter showed an overall increased innervation compared to the middle portion of the ureter. Ganglia were found at the pelviureteric border displaying NF and TH immunoreactivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The whole-mount preparation technique provides an elegant method for assessing the three-dimensional architecture of ureteral innervation. The guinea pig upper urinary tract is richly supplied with adrenergic, cholinergic, nitrergic, and sensory nerves which suggest that the autonomous nervous system plays an important role in controlling ureteral motility and blood flow.
authors: Children's Research Centre, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland. udorolle@yahoo.com
authors: Udo
authors: U
authors: Rolle
authors: Elke
authors: E
authors: Brylla
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Tillig
authors: Boris
authors: B
authors: Chertin
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Cascio
authors: Prem
authors: P
authors: Puri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007001:Hypogastric Plexus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000294:innervation; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis; D014513:Ureter / Q000294:innervation*
chemical_list: D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase