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Innervation of the male genital tract and kidney in the amphibia, Xenopus laevis daudin, Rana temporaria L., and Bufo bufo L.

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Summary

The innervation of the male genital tract and kidney in three anuran species was studied by the fluorescence histochemical method of Falck-Hillarp for the demonstration of monoamines whose identity was secured by thin-layer chromatography, and by electron microscopy including administration of 5- or 6-hydroxydopamine (5- and 6-OHDA). The genital tract comprises testis, intra- and extratesticular and intrarenal seminal efferent ducts, Bidder's canal, renal dorsal transverse ducts, and ureter. In addition-depending on the species studied-renal corpuscles and the various portions of uriniferous tubules may be involved in sperm transport.

  1. 1.

    Adrenaline is the main transmitter in nerves supplying the male genital tract and kidney. Only in Xenopus is it possible to demonstrate the presence of noradrenaline, which was confirmed in the Chromatographic analysis. No obvious changes are observed with regard to the distribution, amount, and fluorescence intensity of adrenergic fibers and their susceptibility towards 5- and 6-OHDA when comparing animals killed in late autumn and winter, or in late spring, respectively. Non-adrenergic nerve fibers have not been observed.

  2. 2.

    The adrenergic innervation in the testis is only scarce and confined to blood vessels. Neuro-endocrine contacts on Leydig cells are not established. The gonadal ducts and the specific (i.e. non-vascular) intratesticular smooth muscle cells in Xenopus are not innervated.

  3. 3.

    Apart from the uriniferous tubules (see below), only the ureter receives an adrenergic innervation which, however, is scarce even around the time of spermiation. Bundles of nonterminal and terminal axons are seen running contiguous to the superficial bundles of smooth muscle or smooth muscle-like cells. Neuromuscular relationships comprise synapses at distances of 2000–5000 Å, but no close contacts. In the seminal vesicle of Rana the same mode of apposition of adrenergic terminals to muscle cells is observed. In addition, a direct innervation of the epithelium is seen in a few instances.

  4. 4.

    In the kidney the renal arteries, afferent arterioles, and the main branches of the portal veins are supplied by a dense plexus of adrenergic nerves. Small groups of intensely fluorescent cells are found in the walls of the renal portal veins and veins proper. The density of the arteriolar plexus is more pronounced in Rana and Bufo than in Xenopus. In Rana and Bufo the arteriolar innervation comprises terminals at “ordinary” smooth musculature with membrane-to-membrane appositions, as well as contacts at a distance of 800 to 4000n Å on juxtaglomerular epitheloid cells. In Xenopus the latter have not been identified with certainty. Adrenergic nerves, running dorsal to the row of glomeruli and ventral to the muscular branches of the portal vein, may reflect a tubular innervation because, in that region, muscular vessels do not exist. Terminals partly or completely devoid of the Schwann cell sheath approach the tubular basal lamina with a distance down to 200 Å. An innervation related to a particular portion of the nephron is not observed; however, the connecting tubules and dorsal transverse ducts are also supplied by adrenergic nerve terminals.

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  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Kiel, Germany

    K. Unsicker, S. Axelsson,  Ch. Owman & K. -G. Svensson

  2. Department of Histology, University of Lund, Sweden

    K. Unsicker, S. Axelsson,  Ch. Owman & K. -G. Svensson

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  1. K. Unsicker
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  2. S. Axelsson
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This work was supported by grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Un 34/2) and the Swedish Medical Research Council. The skilful and invaluable technical assistance of Mrs. K. Jacob, Mrs. R. Sprang, and Mrs. K. Fogelström is gratefully acknowledged.

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Unsicker, K., Axelsson, S., Owman, C. et al. Innervation of the male genital tract and kidney in the amphibia, Xenopus laevis daudin, Rana temporaria L., and Bufo bufo L.. Cell Tissue Res. 160, 453–484 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225764

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