DEVELOPMENT AND MATURATION OF NORADRENALINE-CONTAINING NERVES OF THE RAT UTERINE ARTERY - EFFECTS OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC ESTROGEN-TREATMENT

The development and maturation of noradrenaline-containing nerves of t he rat uterine artery was investigated, histochemically and biochemica lly, at seven different postnatal age-stages and following acute and c hronic treatment with oestradiol. Morphological changes in the vessel were quantitatively evaluated on Toluidine Blue-stained semithin secti ons and low magnification electronmicrographs. In summary, the uterine artery is innervated at birth; the adult pattern of innervation is es tablished at two weeks of age; the innervation density increases progr essively between the infantile and prepubertal periods, accompanying p roliferation and growth of smooth muscle cells in the tunica media; ch anges in the innervation are followed by an increase in the tissue con centration of noradrenaline and neither the endocrine changes characte rizing puberty nor acute or chronic treatment with oestradiol have an effect on the pattern of development of the uterine artery and associa ted noradrenaline-containing nerves. Results are interpreted consideri ng the differential susceptibility of urinogenital organs to sex hormo nes. (C) 1997 ISDN.