INNERVATION OF PENILE ERECTILE TISSUE

拟议的研究是我们先前研究的延伸，这些研究包括 明确了神经解剖学和神经组织化学特征 阴茎勃起组织的神经支配。利用组织化学技术， 免疫组织化学、染色示踪方法和病变范例图 阴茎的自主神经支配已经产生。有证据表明 乙酰胆碱与血管活性肠肽的共存 血管扩张神经连接到阴茎。血管扩张剂途径是完全分开的 从解剖学上讲，来自血管收缩通路，位于交感神经 链条。存在一条通往阴茎的替代神经通路，通过 腹下神经，已被记录在案。据信，这一新的 所描述的途径参与阴茎勃起，并可能替代 终末脊髓损伤时的主要血管扩张途径 电源线。 由于对释放的确切物质有相当大的分歧 通过阴茎血管扩张神经，目前的研究将重点放在 乙酰胆碱和血管活性肠肽的松弛作用 阴茎的平滑肌肉。更具体地说，这两种物质都将进行测试 因为它们有能力松弛收缩的海绵状肌条 组织在体外制备并影响电刺激 阴茎平滑肌松弛。一种超骶骨的发现 通过腹下神经到达盆腔阴茎神经元的通路 为研究内脏可能发生的可塑性变化提供了一个独特的机会 脊髓损伤后的神经支配。我们将调查是否 神经后阴茎神经支配有代偿性改变 受伤。一种假设是，在骨盆神经中断后， 对终末脊髓、附属脊髓造成创伤的损伤 腹下神经中的阴茎血管扩张剂通路将补偿 失去了主要的血管扩张途径。因此，我们的药学 研究将有助于理解假定的神经递质如何 物质与阴茎平滑肌相互作用。对偶性的研究 通向勃起组织的血管扩张剂通路可能有助于澄清和估计 脊髓损伤对生殖能力的影响。

The proposed research is an extension of our previous studies which have defined the neuroanatomical and neurohistochemical features of the innervation of penile erectile tissue. Using histochemical, immunohistochemical, dye tracing methods and lesion paradigms a map of the autonomic innervation of the penis has been generated. Evidence points to a coexistence of acetylcholine and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in vasodilator nerves to the penis. The vasodilator pathway is quite separate anatomically from the vasoconstrictor pathway, located in the sympathetic chain. The existence of an alternate nerve pathway to the penis, via the hypogastric nerve, has been documented. It is believed that this newly described pathway participates in penile erection and may substitute for the major vasodilator pathway in instances of injury to the terminal spinal cord. Since there is considerable disagreement on the exact substances released by penile vasodilator nerves, the present studies will focus on the ability of acetylcholine and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide to effect relaxation of penile smooth muscle. More specifically, both substances will be tested for their ability to relax contracted smooth muscle strips of cavernous tissue in in vitro preparations and to affect electrically stimulated relaxations of penile smooth muscle. The discovery of a suprasacral pathway which travels via the hypogastric nerve to pelvic penile neurons offers a unique opportunity to study possible plastic changes in visceral innervation following spinal cord injury. We will investigate whether there are compensatory changes in penile innervation following nerve injury. One hypothesis is that after interruption of the pelvic nerve, an injury which models trauma to the terminal spinal cord, the ancillary penile vasodilator pathway in the hypogastric nerve will compensate for the loss of the main vasodilator pathway. Therefore, our pharmacological studies will be useful in understanding how putative neurotransmitter substances interact with penile smooth muscle. Study of the dual vasodilator pathways to erectile tissue may help clarify and estimate the effect on reproductive potency of an injury to the sacral spinal cord.