The organization of pudendal motoneurons and primary afferent projections in the spinal cord of the rhesus monkey revealed by horseradish peroxidase.

The horseradish peroxidase tracing technique was utilized to study the distribution of motoneurons and primary afferent neurons contributing fibers to the pudendal nerve in the monkey. Application of horseradish peroxidase to the central cut end of the pudendal nerve labeled motoneurons in the ipsilateral spinal cord primarily in the S1 and L7 segments. In transverse sections these neurons were distributed within an oval area (Onuf's nucleus) with an average dimension of 360 X 290 micron, located at the base of the ventral horn, medial to the lateral motor nuclei. An average of 418 (range: 170-577) medium-sized (44 X 26 micron) neurons were labeled per animal. In longitudinal sections the nucleus appeared as a beaded column of cells extending 9.3 mm rostrocaudally with a prominent network of longitudinal dendrites. In the transverse plane, other groups of dendrites were observed: one group extended dorsomedially toward the central canal, while a second group extended dorsolaterally to the intermediolateral gray, with some of the latter dendritic processes following the lateral border of the ventral horn. An average of 9,200 afferent neurons were labeled in the dorsal root ganglia of each animal. Approximately 85% of these cells were located in a single dorsal root ganglion (S1 or S2). This ganglion was always located one spinal segment caudal to the segment containing the majority of cells in Onuf's nucleus. In the spinal cord, afferent labeling in the dorsal columns and Lissauer's tract extended from S3 to at least L1. The density of afferent labeling in the spinal cord paralleled the number of labeled dorsal root ganglion cells in the corresponding segments. From Lissauer's tract and the dorsal columns a prominent collateral fiber bundle passed medially over the apex of the dorsal horn to the dorsal commissure and to medial laminae I-IV of the dorsal horn. A much less prominent pathway passed ventrally along the lateral edge of the dorsal horn to lamina V, where a few collaterals continued medially to the dorsal commissure. The majority of labeled lateral afferent axons ended slightly dorsal to the sacral parasympathetic nucleus. A comparison of the present findings with previous descriptions of the sacral visceral pathways shows a considerable overlap in certain areas of the spinal cord of pudendal and pelvic nerve afferent and efferent systems. This close anatomic relationship is consistent with the physiological observation that somatovisceral integration in the lumbosacral spinal cord is essential for the normal regulation of micturition, defecation, and sexual function.