Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Peptidergic innervation within the prostate gland and seminal vesicle

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Urological Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

An immunohistochemical study in which antisera against several neuropeptides were used demonstrated the presence of neuropeptide Y(NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) immunoreactivity in nerve fibers in the human prostate gland and seminal vesicle, whereas no immunostaining for substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide was observed. The peptidergic innervation was found to be generally moderate to low. NPY-and VIP-immunoreactive fibers were localized in the subepithelial connective tissue as well as the smooth muscle layers in both organs, although the peptidergic fiber networks were more prominent in the seminal vesicle. Most NPY-immunoreactive fibers were observed in the musculature of the seminal vesicle.In addition, NPY-and VIP-immunoreactive fibers were demonstrated in the walls of blood vessels. The results of our study suggest that the innervation of the prostate gland and seminal vesicle by various neuroactive peptides may be involved in the autonomic regulation of these organs in adult man, as well as sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aumüller G (1979) Prostate gland and seminal vesicles. In: Oksche A, Vollrath L (eds) Handbuch der mikroskopischen Anatomie des Menschen VII/6. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aumüller G, Metz W, Grube D (1976) Electron-and fluorescence-microscopical investigations of the human prostate (in German) Verh Anat Ges 70:895

    Google Scholar 

  3. Baumgarten HG, Falck B, Holstein A-F, Owman C, Owman T (1968) Adrenergic innervation of the human testis, epididymis, ductus deferens and prostate: a fluorescence microscopic and fluorimetric study. Z Zellforsch 90:81

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bird ED (1981) Problems of peptide-analysis in human postmortem brain. In: Martin JB, Reichlin S, Blick KL (eds) Neurosecretion and brain peptides. Raven Press, New York, p 657

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bullon A, Lopez FL (1959) On the innervation of the human seminal vesicle and the homological organ in the dog (in German). Z Mikrosk Anat Forsch 65:133

    Google Scholar 

  6. Casas AP (1958) The innervation of the human prostate gland (in German). Z Mikrosk Anat Forsch 64:608

    Google Scholar 

  7. Denissov-Nikolskiĩ JI (1969) On the state of nerve cells of organ plexus of the prostate after castration (in Russian).Bull Eksp Biol Med [Moskva] 67:107

    Google Scholar 

  8. Everitt BJ, Hökfelt T, Terenius L, Tatemoto K, Mutt V, Goldstein M (1984) Differential co-existence of neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like immunoreactivity with catecholamines in the central nervous system of the rat. Neuroscience 11:443

    Google Scholar 

  9. Flickinger CJ (1972) The fine structure of the interstitial tissue of the rat prostate. Am J Anat 134:107

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hervonen A, Vaalasti A, Vaalasti T,Partanen T, Kanerva L (1976) Paraganglia in the urogenital tract of man. Histochemistry 46:307

    Google Scholar 

  11. Hökfelt T, Johansson O, Goldstein M (1984) Chemical anatomy of the brain. Science 225:1326

    Google Scholar 

  12. Jabonero V, Genis MJ, Santos L (1963) Observations on the osmium-zinciodine positive elements of the prostate gland (in German). Z Mikrosk Anat Forsch 69:167

    Google Scholar 

  13. Jacobowitz DM, Olschowka JA (1982) Bovine pancreatic polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in brain and peripheral nervous system: coexistence with catecholaminergic nerves. Peptides 3:569

    Google Scholar 

  14. Johnson FP (1920) The later development of the urethra in the male. J Urol 4:447

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lange W, Basting-Krieglsteiner C, Debbage P, Unger J (1986) Are motilin and CGRP cerebellar peptides? An immunohistochemical, chromatographic and radioimmunological study. Neurosci Lett [Suppl 26]:S322

  16. Lange W, Unger J, Weindl A, Lang RE (1989) Demonstration of atrial natriuretic peptide/cardiodilatin (ANP/CDD)-immunoreactivity in the salt gland of the Pekin duck. Anat Embryol 179:465

    Google Scholar 

  17. Larsson L-I (1977) Occurrence of nerves containing vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity in the male genital tract. Life Sci 21:503

    Google Scholar 

  18. Oertel WH, Graybiel AM, Mugnaini E, Elde RP, Schmechel DE, Kopin J (1983) Coexistence of glutamic acid decarboxylase and somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in neurons of the feline nucleus reticularis thalami. J Neurosci 3:1322

    Google Scholar 

  19. Sjöstrand NO (1965) The adrenergic innervation of the was deferens and the accessory male genital glands. An experimental and comparative study of its anatomical and functional organization in some mammals, including presence of adrenalin and chromaffin cells in these organs. Acta Physiol Scand 65: [Suppl 1]:1

    Google Scholar 

  20. Smith ER, Miller TB, Wilson MM, Appel MC (1984) Effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide on canine prostatic contraction and secretion. Am J Physiol 247:R701

    Google Scholar 

  21. Sofroniev MW (1983) Golgi-like immunoperoxidase staining of neurons producing specific substances or of neurons transporting exogenous tracer proteins. In: Cuello AC (ed) Immunohistochemistry. IBRO, p431

  22. Sternberger LA (1979) Immunocytochemistry, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  23. Stjernquist M, Håkanson R, Leander S, Owman C, Sundler F, Uddman R (1983) Immunohistochemical localization of substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and gastrin-releasing peptide in vas deferens and seminal vesicle, and the effect of these and eight other neuropeptides on resting tension and neurally evoked contractile activity. Regul Pept 7:67

    Google Scholar 

  24. Stjernquist M, Owman C, Sjoeberg NO, Sundler F (1987) Coexistence and cooperation between neuropeptide Y and norepinephrine in nerve fibers of guinea pig vas deferens and seminal vesicle. Biol Reprod 36:149

    Google Scholar 

  25. Unger J (1984) Somatostatin and vasoactive intestinale polypeptide in rat and human brain and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurodegenerative diseases: immunohistochemical and radioimmunological investigations (in German). Inaugural dissertation, University of Munich

  26. Vaalasti A, Linnoila I, Hervonen A (1980) Immunohistochemical demonstration of VIP, Met5-and Leu5-enkephalin immunoreactive nerve fibres in the human prostate and seminal vesicle. Histochemistry 66:89

    Google Scholar 

  27. Vaalasti A, Tainio H, Pelto-Huikko M, Hervonen A (1986) Light and electron microscope demonstration of VIP-and enkephalinimmunoreactive nerves in the human male genitourinary tract. Anat Rec 215:21

    Google Scholar 

  28. Watzka M (1928) On the occurrence of multiple nuclei in ganglionic cells of nerve fiber networks in the seminal vesicle (in German). Anat Anz 66:321

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Munich, Munich, FRG

    W. Lange & J. Unger

Authors
  1. W. Lange
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. Unger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The work reported in this paper was supported by the Walter-Schulz-Stiftung and the Friedrich-Baur-Stiftung

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lange, W., Unger, J. Peptidergic innervation within the prostate gland and seminal vesicle. Urol. Res. 18, 337–340 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300783

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300783

Key words

Search

Navigation