%0 Journal Article
%T Presence of sensory nerve corpuscles in the human corpus and cervix uteri during pregnancy and labor as revealed by immunohistochemistry
%A Berith K Tingaker
%A Gunvor Ekman-Ordeberg
%A Sture Forsgren
%J Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
%D 2006
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1477-7827-4-45
%X Biopsies were taken from the upper edge of the hysterotomy during caesarean section at term (n = 8), in labor (n = 5) and from the corresponding area in the non-pregnant uterus after hysterectomy (n = 7). Cervical biopsies were obtained transvaginally from the anterior cervical lip. Serial cryostat sections were prepared for immunohistochemistry using polyclonal antibodies against nerve growth factor receptor p75, protein gene product 9.5 and S-100.Structures with the characteristics of sensory nerve corpuscles were observed in several specimens after staining for p75, PGP 9.5 and S-100. They were observed in specimens of the non-pregnant corpus and cervix and also in specimens of the pregnant cervix before onset of labor. However, they were absent in all specimens during labor.Sensory corpuscles have here for the first time been detected in the human corpus and cervix uteri. Studies on the importance of the corpuscles in relation to the protective reflex actions that occur in the uterus during pregnancy should be performed in the future.The innervation of the corpus and the cervix uteri has been described in several studies focusing on different aspects. Nerve fibers containing sensory neuropeptides such as substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) are present in the human cervix [1,2] as well as in the cervix of animals [3]. It is also known that marked nerve-related changes occur in the corpus during pregnancy. Studies in both humans [4-6] and animals [7] have shown the occurrence of an almost total denervation of the term pregnant and the laboring corpus. On the other hand, there is still a dense innervation in the cervix throughout pregnancy and labor [3,4,6,8], including sensory innervation [2].It is likely that nerve-mediated effects play important roles in the processes that occur during labor and cervical ripening, particularly effects involving nerves that transmit afferent proprioceptive information. However, it is not known whether the
%U http://www.rbej.com/content/4/1/45