Blood flow in the ovary and oviduct of rats after sympathetic denervation

The effect of sympathetic denervation on blood flow in the ovary and oviduct was studied in rats undergoing oestrous cycles or at Day 14 of pregnancy. The ovary and oviduct on one side were denervated by briefly freezing the ovarian vascular pedicle and the ovarian suspensory ligament. Blood flow was measured using 15 microns 57Co-labelled microspheres while the rats were under barbiturate anaesthesia. In cyclic rats denervation raised blood flow to the oviduct by 90% the next day (P less than 0.01) and 39% at 4-10 days (0.05 less than P less than 0.1). Blood flow to the ovary was not affected. Denervation on Day 13 of pregnancy raised blood flow in the oviduct 5-fold at Day 14 (P less than 0.01) and denervation on Day 7 raised blood flow 3-fold on Day 14 (P less than 0.05). Blood flow to the luteal and non-luteal components of the ovary was not affected. Sham-operation did not affect blood flow in the oviduct or ovary. It is concluded that sympathetic nerves exert tonic vasoconstrictor control on the vasculature of the oviduct but not on that of the ovary, and that these nerves do not regulate the major changes in blood flow that occur in ovaries in various physiological states.