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Adrenerge Innervation im Hoden und Nebenhoden vom Schwan (Cygnus olor)

Adrenergic innervation in the testis and epididymis of the swan (Cygnus olor)

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Summary

The testis and epididymis of the swan were investigated by means of Falck's and Hillarp's method for fluorescence microscopical detection of catechol- and tryptamines.

In the testis a dense plexus of green fluorescent nerve fibres was found to course between the tubuli seminiferi and to surround clusters of Leydig-cells. Electronmicroscopically numerous bare axons containing dense core vesicles were observed between individual Leydig-cells. These results favour the assumption that in contrast to what has been found in most mammals the testicular interstitial cell system of the swan is supplied by sympathetic nerve fibres.

The adrenergic innervation of the excretory ducts was also found to behave different from that in mammals: The innervation is most dense in the proximal portions of the ductuli efferentes. From the results of microspectrofluorimetric measurements it is concluded that the transmitter is most likely noradrenaline. Fluorimetric determinations reveal the presence of high amounts of noradrenaline (5,16–5,50 μg/g).

Zusammenfassung

Hoden und Nebenhoden vom Schwan wurden mit der von Falck und Hillarp entwickelten Methode zum fluoreszenzmikroskopischen Nachweis von Catechol- und Tryptaminen untersucht.

Im Hoden findet sich ein engmaschiges Geflecht fluoreszierender Nervenfasern zwischen den Tubuli seminiferi, das vorwiegend die Leydig-Zellen umhüllt. Im Elektronenmikroskop beobachtet man zahlreiche nackte Axone mit granulären Vesikeln zwischen einzelnen Leydig-Zellen. Aus diesem Befund wird gefolgert, daß das Zwischenzellsystem beim Schwan im Gegensatz zu den Verhältnissen bei den meisten Mammaliern eine direkte sympathische Innervation besitzt.

In den ableitenden Samenwegen verhält sich die noradrenerge Innervation ebenfalls anders als bei Mammaliern: Die proximalen Ductuli efferentes sind die am stärksten innervierten Gangabschnitte. Auf Grund mikrospektrofluorimetrischer Befunde wird angenommen, daß der Transmitter in den fluoreszierenden Nervenfasern Noradrenalin ist. Fluorimetrische Bestimmungen des Catecholamingehaltes zeigen die Anwesenheit großer Mengen von Noradrenalin im Hoden und Nebenhoden (5,16–5,50 μg/g).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Neuroanatomie am Anatomischen Institut der Universität Hamburg, Deutschland

    H. G. Baumgarten

  2. Anatomisches Institut der Universität Hamburg, Deutschland

    A. -F. Holstein

Authors
  1. H. G. Baumgarten
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  2. A. -F. Holstein
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Mit dankenswerter Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft und die Joachim Jungius-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften, Hamburg.

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Baumgarten, H.G., Holstein, A.F. Adrenerge Innervation im Hoden und Nebenhoden vom Schwan (Cygnus olor). Z.Zellforsch 91, 402–410 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00440767

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00440767

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