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Anatomical evidence for glutamatergic transmission in primary sensory neurons and onto postganglionic neurons controlling penile erection in rats: an ultrastructural study with neuronal tracing and immunocytochemistry

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Abstract

In male rats, the dorsal penile nerve (DPN) conveys sensory information from the genitals to the lumbosacral spinal segments of the spinal cord. DPN is the afferent limb of a reflex loop that supports reflexive erections, and that includes a network of spinal interneurons and autonomic and somatic motoneurons to the penis and perineal striated muscles. Autonomic efferent pathways to the penis relay in the major pelvic ganglion (MPG). Glutamate (Glu) is a likely candidate as a neurotransmitter of reflexive erections. Both AMPA and NMDA glutamatergic receptor subunits are present in the lumbosacral spinal cord, and AMPA and NMDA receptor antagonists block reflexive erections. In the present study, we used tract-tracing experiments combined with immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical techniques to ascertain the presence of Glu at two different levels of the network controlling reflexive erections. DPN afferents were localized in the dorsal horn of the lumbosacral cord and displayed the characteristics of either C-fibers or Aδ fibers. DPN terminals (some of them glutamatergic) were mainly distributed in the medial edge of the dorsal horn in the L6 spinal segment. GluR1 subunits were present in some DPN afferents, suggesting that they could be autoreceptors. DPN fibers were also present in the MPG, as were Glu terminals and GluR4 subunits. The results reveal the presence of Glu in DPN fibers and terminals and suggest that both the spinal cord and the MPG use glutamatergic transmission to control reflexive erections.

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Acknowledgement

The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. A. Saul for editing this manuscript.

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  1. Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de l’Olfaction et de la Prise Alimentaire, UR 1197 INRA-Bâtiment, 325-78352 Cedex, Jouy-en-Josas, France

    Josiane Aïoun & Olivier Rampin

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  1. Josiane Aïoun
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  2. Olivier Rampin
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Correspondence to Josiane Aïoun.

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This work was supported by grant no. 5R01MH059811–03 from the NIH and by an institutional grant from the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique.

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Aïoun, J., Rampin, O. Anatomical evidence for glutamatergic transmission in primary sensory neurons and onto postganglionic neurons controlling penile erection in rats: an ultrastructural study with neuronal tracing and immunocytochemistry. Cell Tissue Res 323, 359–375 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-005-0080-5

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