[Innervation of the ventral prostate of the rat: ultrastructural study]. / Inervación de la próstata ventral de la rata: estudio ultraestructural.

The innervation of the rat ventral prostate was studied at the ultrastructural level. The nerve fascicles, amyelinics, are found in the interstitial tissue of the gland. We have observed varicosities with synaptic vesicles in close contact with the smooth muscle and epithelial cells. Inside the nerve endings, 5 types of vesicles could be distinguished. The role of the different nerve endings is discussed.

[Cholinergic innervation of the prostate in the white rat (Rattus norvegicus)]. / Inervación colinérgica de la próstata en la rata blanca (Rattus norvegicus).

We studied the cholinergic innervation of the prostate in male albino rats using a technic for demonstrating acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. We observed AChE-positive nerve fibers surrounding the acini and blood vessels. In the prostatic ventral lobe, a large number of AChE-reactive neurons (isolated or forming microganglia) were observed. However, no neurons were observed in the dorsal-lateral prostatic lobe. The foregoing findings suggest a different cholinergic innervation for these prostatic lobes.

Histochemical detection of monoamine oxidase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities in the Syrian hamster Harderian glands: existence of a sexual dimorphism.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) and alcohol dehydrogenase (AD) activities were studied histochemically in the Syrian hamster Harderian gland using tryptamine as substrate and Nitroblue Tetrazolium as the final electron acceptor. No dark: light-related changes were observed. Male type I secretory cells showed an intense MAO reaction. Female type I cells exhibited a moderate MAO activity. Both male and female glands showed a moderate/intense AD-positive reaction. Male type II cells were lacking MAO and AD activities. MAO activity found in the hamster Harderian glands corresponded mainly to MAO type A since treatment with chlorgyline (0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 mM) totally inhibited it. The possible role of these two enzymes in Harderian gland indolalkylamine metabolism is discussed.