Regeneration of neuronal nitric oxide synthase （nNOS） containing nerve fibers in rat corpus cavernosum
摘要
Aim:to investigate the effect of cavermous nerve injury on the nNos-containing nerve fibers in rat corpus cavernosum,methods thirty-three make sd rats were randomized into 3 groups:5 rats underwent pelvic exploration without transcection of cavemous nerve as the sham-operated controls,the unilateral injury group(14 rats)had the cavemous nerve cut on one side,and the bilateral injury grou(14 rats)had the nerves cut on both sides corpora cavemosa were harvested at the 3rd week and 6th month after surgery nnos-positive nerve fibers were examined with strepavidin peroxidase immunohistochemistry techniques(SP method ) Results:after bilateral ablation,the nnos-positive nerve fibers were significantly decreased at both the 3nd week(17±4)and the 6th month(16±4).For the unilateral injury group,the nnos-positive nerve fibers were similarly decreased on the side of the neurotomy at the 3rd week(18±6),but by the 6th month,the number increased significantly(61±9)and approximated the level on the comtralateral side(81±13),conclusion:in rats after unilateral cavemous nerve ablation,nnos-containing nerve fibers might regenerate 6 months after operation,but regeneration did not occur in animals with bilateral cavemous nerve injury,results suggest that during pelvic radical surgery,the cavemous nerve should be preserved at least on one side in order to accomplish adequate regeneration.