Distribution of efferent neurones innervating the oviduct in the pig

This study was aimed, by means of the retrograde tracing technique, at disclosing the distribution of efferent neurones innervating the porcine oviduct. The fluorescent retrograde tracer Fast Blue was injected into the wall of the right oviduct in six juvenile pigs during laparotomy performed under anaesthesia. After a recovery period of 3 weeks the animals were reanaesthetised, perfused with 4% buffered paraformaldehyde (pH 7.4) and different ganglia, thought to be potent sources of the efferent innervation, were collected. The occurrence and distribution of Fast Blue-positive neurones were studied in the sympathetic chain and prevertebral ganglia, including the coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex, adrenal ganglion, aorticorenal ganglion, ovarian ganglion and inferior mesenteric ganglion. The labelled neurones were found only in the right, ipsilateral ganglia. The largest number of Fast Blue-positive neurones was found in the inferior mesenteric ganglion, ovarian ganglion and in the coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex. In the inferior mesenteric ganglion, the Fast Blue-positive neurones showed a tendency to gather in the dorso-cranial and the dorso-caudal region of the ganglion, forming two discrete "oviductal centres". The aortico-renal and adrenal ganglion contained a smaller population of Fast Blue-positive nerve cell bodies. The smallest number of Fast Blue-positive neurones was found in the sympathetic chain ganglia (T14-L5). The localisation of Fast Blue-positive neurones in the sympathetic chain ganglia and prevertebral ganglia suggests that these nerve structures play a fundamental role in the efferent innervation of the porcine oviduct.