Distribution of NADPH diaphorase-reactive nerves in the human female genital organ.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to histochemically clarify the presence of nerves containing NADPH diaphorase, representing the catalytic activity of nitric oxide synthase, in the human female genital organ.

STUDY DESIGN

Female genital organs were isolated for NADPH diaphorase staining by extensive or simple hysterectomy from ten patients.

RESULTS

Paracervical ganglia contained many nerve cells intensely stained. The nerve from the ganglia contained many axons intensely stained, which selectively innervated blood vessels distributing to the whole genital organ. NADPH diaphorase-reactive nerve fibers around the vascular wall distributed in the adventitia, closely contacting to the medial layer. The distribution of the axons was much denser in the arterial wall than in the venous wall.

CONCLUSION

The NADPH diaphorase-reactive nerve fibers, possibly originated from paracervical ganglia, appear to play an important role in the regulation of uterine vascular tone by liberating nitric oxide, and such a neurogenic control may be predominant in the artery over the vein.