Striated perineal muscles: location of autonomic, sensory, and somatic neurons projecting to the male pig bulbospongiosus muscle.

The location, number, and size of the neurons innervating the bulbospongiosus muscle (BSM) were studied in male pigs, by means of Fast Blue (FB) retrograde transport. After injection of FB into the left BSM, labeled neurons were found bilaterally in the L2-S4 sympathetic trunk ganglia (STGs), in the caudal mesenteric ganglia (CMGs), in the microganglia of the pelvic plexus (PGs), in a dorsolateral area with respect to the central canal of S1-S3 segments of the spinal cord (SC) and in the S1-S4 ipsilateral and S2-S3 contralateral spinal ganglia (SGs). The mean number of labeled FB cells was 3,122 +/- 1,968 in STGs, 979 +/- 667 in CMGs, 108 +/- 104 in PGs, 89 +/- 39 in SC and 77 +/- 23 in SGs. The area of the multipolar neurons was 852 +/- 22 microm(2) in the STGs, 878 +/- 23 microm(2) in the CMGs and 922 +/- 31 microm(2) in the PGs. The multipolar SC neurons had an area of 1,057 +/- 38 microm(2), while pseudounipolar SG cells had dimensions of 2,281 +/- 129 microm(2). Our research enables us to highlight two peculiarities regarding the innervation of the boar BSM: the very high number of labeled autonomic neurons and the particular localization of the motor somatic nucleus.

Peripheral neurons innervating the extrinsic smooth penile musculature of the pig: experimental study by retrograde transport and immunohistochemistry.

Peripheral autonomic and sensitive neurons projecting to the extrinsic smooth penile musculature of the pig were studied by means of retrograde tracing and single-labelling immunofluorescence methods. The fluorescent retrograde tracer Fast Blue was injected into the left retractor penis muscle, that was taken as an experimental model of the male genital smooth musculature, of 4 castrated pigs. After a 7 day survival time, the ipsilateral paravertebral ganglion S1, the caudal mesenteric ganglion and the dorsal root ganglion S2 were collected. In these ganglia, the presence and the distribution of immunoreactivities to cathecolamine- (Tyrosine Hydroxylase), acetylcholine- (Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter), or nitric oxide-synthesizing (neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase) enzymes and to some biologically active peptides (Calcitonine Gene-Related Peptide, Leu-Enkephaline, Neuropeptide Y, Substance P and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) were studied. In paravertebral ganglion S1, Tyrosine Hydroxylase and Neuropeptide Y were the most frequently present substances. Also Leu-Enkephaline and neuronal Nitric Oxide were present quite frequently, while there was scarce immunoreactivity for the other antisera (in decreasing order Substance P, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter, Calcitonine Gene-Related Peptide). In caudal mesenteric ganglion, in addition to Tyrosine Hydroxylase- and Neuropeptide Y-immunoreactivity, Substance P-, Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter-, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-, Leu-Enkephaline- immunoreactivity were also frequently present, followed by neuronal Nitric Oxide- and Calcitonine Gene-Related Peptide- immunoreactivity. In dorsal root ganglion S2, Calcitonine Gene-Related Peptide and neuronal Nitric Oxide resulted to be the most frequently present neurotransmitters, followed by Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter, Leu-Enkephaline, Substance P, Tyrosine Hydroxylase and Neuropeptide Y.

Sensory, motor somatic, and autonomic neurons projecting to the porcine cremaster muscle.

The location of sensory, somatic, and autonomic neurons projecting to the pig cremaster muscle (CM) was studied by means of the retrograde neuronal tracer Fast Blue (FB) technique. FB was randomly injected in the left CM of four impuberal pigs and serial sections of sensory and autonomic ganglia and spinal cord were examined under a fluorescence microscope. Additionally, some indications about the number and size of labeled neurons were given. Sensory pseudounipolar somata were located ipsilaterally in the L2-L6 and S1-S2 dorsal root ganglia, their total number ranging between 125 and 194, their mean diameter between 24 and 89 microm. Somatic multipolar motoneurons were located ipsilaterally in the L2-L4 neuromeres of the spinal cord, their total number ranging between 53 and 169, their mean diameter between 29 and 53 microm. Autonomic multipolar paravertebral ganglia neurons were located ipsilaterally from L1 to S4 and contralaterally from L2 to S2. Their total number ranged from 2,015 to 3,067 and their mean diameter between 25 and 55 microm. The multipolar caudal mesenteric ganglia neurons were located bilaterally, their total number ranging between 14 and 1,408 and their diameter from 22 to 39 microm. In two subjects only, multipolar neurons were also found ipsilaterally in the microganglia of pelvic plexus (2 and 13 neurons). Their mean diameter ranged between 28 and 54 microm. Our study documented that the CM-projecting neurons were located at different neural levels, with a predominance in the autonomic ganglia.

Sensitive innervation of the copulatory organ in Struthio camelus: comparison to the corresponding district in female proctodeum.

The AA. have studied the nerve component of male copulatory organ and ventral part of female proctodeum in the ostrich. This paper represents the concluding part of the plan of research that aimed to verify some data and hypothesis referred in previous observations. The innervation of the considered districts was always constituted by autonomic and sensitive somatic nerve components. The autonomic innervation was represented by isolated and grouped ganglion cells located along the course of nerve bundles or in the point where different nerve bundles converged. This nerve component was frequently in close connection with the blood vessels. The sensitive somatic innervation was constituted by free and capsulated nerve endings. The latter, always supplied by a typical structure and morphologically classified as Pacini, Pacini-like and genital's corpuscles, could be found either isolated or grouped within the different layers of both the examined anatomical territories. The grouped corpuscles, in particular Pacini's corpuscles, could organize simple and complex flower sprays, opposito-polar corpuscles and poikilomorphous fibres. For the first time the capsule's lamellar organization in Pacini's corpuscles in Birds was documented by means of light microscope. The occurrence of genital corpuscles seemed to be exclusive in the ventral part of female ostrich proctodeum, corresponding to the male site in which lies the copulatory organ.

Autonomic and sensitive somatic innervation of the ostrich elbow and knee joints articular capsule.

The present research was carried out on the fibrous layer of the ostrich's elbow and knee joints articular capsule, employing opportunely modified gold chloride Ruffini's method, to study the autonomic and sensitive somatic nerve components. The distribution of both nerve components followed frequently the vascular networks. The autonomic innervation was represented by isolated or grouped ganglion cells, frequently placed along the course of nerve trunks, close to the epineurium or located within the perineural connective tissue. The sensitive somatic innervation was constituted by free and encapsulated corpuscles. The last one, morphologically classified as Pacini, Pacini-like and Golgi-Mazzoni's corpuscles, were found isolated or grouped to constitute simple and complex flower sprays, "opposito-polar corpuscles" and "poichilomorphous fibres". The very few Golgi-Mazzoni's corpuscles were found only in the knee joint articular capsule. The two nerve components, found in the considered districts, did not shown significant quanti-qualitative and topographic differences. This datum, at least in appearance, seems to conflict with the ostrich functional aptitudes. In fact, the ostrich is a bird unable to fly but very able to run.

On some structural features of ovarian ligaments in domestic animals.

The vascular and nerve components of ovarian ligaments (proper and suspensory) of the sheep, cow and the donkey were examined in order to investigate the presence of blood flow-regulator endovasal devices, artero-venous anastomoses, free and/or encapsulated nerve endings and ganglion cells. Both the ligaments of the investigated species showed the presence of endovasal devices (valvular apparati, intimal and polypoid cushions) and artero-venous anastomoses, the latter structurally ascribed to the first and second type of Conti and Bucciante's classification. Moreover, although not constantly, both the examined districts showed an autonomic nerve support, while four Ruffini's corpuscles were found in the suspensory ligament just in one sheep.

The sensitive innervation of the ostrich nasal mucosa.

The sensitive innervation of the ostrich's nasal mucosa, through impregnative gold chloride methods, was investigated. The autonomy innervation, constituted by ganglion cells placed along the course of nerve trunks was particularly represented in the respiratory tract of the nasal cavity. The somatic nerve component, composed by free and capsulated endings, was especially distributed in the vestibular district. The nerve corpuscles were morphologically classified as Pacini, Pacini-like, Golgi-Mazzoni and Herbst. Further investigations must be expected to attribute an effective functional role particularly to this last nerve component.

Localization of neurons projecting into the extrinsic penile smooth musculature of the pig: an experimental study on the retractor penis muscle.

The aim of this study was to locate in male pigs the sensory and autonomic ganglia innervating the retractor penis muscle (RPM), which was taken as an experimental model of the genital smooth musculature. The retrograde neuronal tracers horseradish peroxidase (HRP), Fast Blue (FB), and diamidino yellow (DY) were injected into the bulbopenile portion of the left RPM. The tracers highlighted a different affinity for the neuronal structures, although labelled cells supplying the RPM were generally found in bilateral dorsal root ganglia (DRGs, S1-S3), in bilateral paravertebral ganglia (PaGs, L2-S3), and in the left and right caudal mesenteric ganglia (CMGs). The mean number of labelled FB cells was 795 (range, 645-952) in DRGs, 16046.25 (range, 10226-18742) in PaGs, and 635.25 (range, 333-786) in CMGs. The mean diameter of pseudounipolar DRG cells was 60-75 microm, while the multipolar neurons of PaGs and CMGs had dimensions varying between 20-50 microm and 20-30 microm, respectively.

On the sensitive innervation of the ostrich's foot pads.

The sensitive and autonomic innervation of foot pads in the ostrich was studied employing an usual histological technique as hematoxylin-eosin or different gold chloride impregnations. The autonomic innervation is represented by isolated or grouped ganglion cells located along the course of nerve bundles. The sensitive somatic innervation is composed by free and capsulated nerve endings usually distributed in the thickness of the connective arrangement of the foot pads, in the most superficial part the first one, while the latter was generally located close to the blood vessels. The capsulated nerve endings, morphologically classified as Pacini, Pacini-like and Herbst corpuscles, show the typical structure. They are not uniformly distributed throughout the considered districts and their number are always higher in the plantar pad compared with digital pads. These corpuscles could be found isolated or assembled to organize simple flower-sprays and to constitute opposito-polar corpuscles. The Authors have put forward a hypothesis on the possible functional role of the above-mentioned nerve components.

Lectin histochemistry on the dorsal epidermis of the Breton dog.

Expression of sugar residues and the nature of oligosaccharide linkage during keratinocyte maturation in the epidermis of the Breton dog were studied with the use of lectin histochemistry. Thirteen lectins were used. Labelling was not observed with GSA I-B4, GSA II, UEA-I, and LTA. The cytoplasm of keratinocytes reacted with PNA, HPA, Con A, and WGA from the basal layer to the granular layer. PNA and Con A showed highest reactivity in the granular cell layer. The cell surface showed increased reactivity with PNA, HPA, and WGA with maturation of keratinocytes. KOH-neuraminidase treatment (KOH-Neu) increased PNA and RCA120 staining during keratinocyte differentiation thus indicating an increase in oligosaccharides terminating with sialic acid-Galbeta(1,3)GalNAc and sialic acid-Galbeta(1,4)GlcNAc, respectively. Labelling of the glycocalyx of basal and spinous keratinocytes with SNA and MAA revealed terminal Neu5acalpha(2,6)Gal/GalNAc and Neu5acalpha(2,3)Galbeta(1,4)GlcNAc. KOH-Neu-DBA showed oligosaccharides terminating with sialic acid-GalNAcalpha(1,3)GalNAc in the spinous and granular layers. A selective glycocalyx labelling of granular keratinocytes was observed with DBA and SBA. Reactions with MAA, PNA, DBA, RCA120, SBA, HPA, and WGA disappeared after the beta-elimination reaction. Our findings indicate that Breton dog epidermis contains more O-linked than N-linked oligosaccharides and confirm that different subpopulations of keratinocytes can be distinguished by lectin histochemistry.

Further observations on the sensitive innervation of some bird's proctodeum.

The AA. studied the autonomic and sensitive somatic innervation of some female bird's proctodeum, through the properly modified Ruffini's gold chloride method. The vegetative component was constituted by ganglion cells of different size, isolated or grouped to form ganglia, found along the course of nerve trunks or in the concurrent point of different nerve bundles. The sensitive somatic innervation was represented by free and encapsulated endings differently distributed in the thickness of the wall. The former were composed of thin networks, while the latter, located more frequently in the muscular tunica and in the subadventitial connective, were composed of encapsulated receptors classified as Pacini, Pacini-like and Herbst corpuscles. The morphology of these receptors was described and hypotheses were brought up about their probable functional role. The AA, also found, even if very rarely, helicoidal collagen fibres around nerve fascicles.