A neuro-histological and pharmacological study of innervation of the uterus

ABSTRACT

The histological examination of the distribution and the mode of termination of the uterine nerves was made in 8 uteri of dogs, 8 uteri of cats, 2 uteri of human female fetuses and 1 uterus of human adult using various techniques. Nerve plexuses were found in all three layers of the uterus but the intramural ganglia and nerve cells were found only in the adventitia of the cervical region. Two types of afferent nerve endings were found, namely the free but organized ending such as looplike ending (under the mucosa of human foetal uterus) and the encapsulated ending such as bulbous corpuscle (in the adventitia of human foetal uterus and in the musculature of dog's uterus) and Meissner's corpuscle (in the musculature of a lull human uterus). Pharmacological experiments were done in the uteri of 2 dogs. Sympathomimetic agents were seen to evoke inhibitory responses whereas parasympathomimetic agents were seen to evoke excitatory responses. The results of these findings are discussed.