Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Anatomy of the prostatic nerves

Anatomie des nerfs de la prostate

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The entire prostate of a 10 year old boy was cut with a microtome into 4300 serial slices. The nerves were stained using a monoclonal antibody called anti PS 100. All information was recorded using a computer reconstruction programme. The prostatic nerve supply is very abundant. The nerve fibers of the cranial prostate (central zone) follow a pathway parallel to the anterior surface of the seminal vesicles going towards the caudal prostate. The periurethral zone is widely innervated by nerves arising from the periphery. The caudal prostate also contains many nerve fibers of variable size. We identified many nerve fibers along the anterior surface of the seminal vesicles and surrounding the lateral aspect of the prostatic capsule. They penetrate the capsule and the whole circumference of the caudal prostate. The prostatic capsule is covered by numerous nerve fibers and ganglia, which form a true periprostatic nerve network. The urethra is supplied by numerous thick fibers of more than 30 µm in diameter.

Résumé

La prostate d'un enfant de 10 ans, a été sectionnée au microtome en 4 300 coupes. Les nerfs ont été colorés avec un anticorps monoclonal anti PS 100 et toutes les informations ont été recueillies sur un programme informatisé. L'innervation de la prostate est très abondante, les fibres nerveuses de la prostate craniale (zone centrale) suivent une voie parallèle à la face antérieure des vésicules séminales, vers la prostate caudale. La zone péri-urétrale est richement innervée par des nerfs venant de la périphérie, la prostate caudale contient aussi de nombreuses fibres nerveuses de taille variable. Nous avons identifié un grand nombre de nerfs le long de la face antérieure des vésicules séminales et entourant les faces latérales de la capsule prostatique, elles pénètrent la capsule prostatique et toute la circonférence de la prostate caudale. La capsule prostatique est couverte par de nombreuses fibres nerveuses et des ganglions qui forment un véritable réseau nerveux péri prostatique. L'urètre est innervé par de nombreuses fibres de plus de 30 µm de diamètre.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Albarran J (1900) Topographie normale des glandes de la portion prostatique de l'urètre. Traité de chirurgie clinique et opératoire, vol. 9. Ledentu, Delbet, Paris, pp 526–548

    Google Scholar 

  2. Albarran J, Motz B (1902) Contribution à l'étude de l'anatomie macroscopique de la prostate hypertrophiée. Ann Mal Org Genito-Urinaires 20: 768–782

    Google Scholar 

  3. Benoit G, Caillaux F, Quillard J, Ledroux M, Gagne X, Jardin A (1991) Computer-assisted anatomical reconstruction: the prostate model. Surg Radiol Anat 13: 45–47

    Google Scholar 

  4. Benoit G, Delmas V, Gillot C, Jardin A (1987) Anatomical basis of erection. Surg Radiol Anat 9: 263–267

    Google Scholar 

  5. Benoit G, Delmas V, Quillard J, Gillot C, Hureau J (1983) Clivage inter prostato rectal: l'intérêt du fascia de Denonvilliers. Presse Med 12 : 2693–2694

    Google Scholar 

  6. Benoit G, Quillard J, Jardin A (1988) Anatomical study of the infra montanal urethra in man. J Urol 139: 866–868

    Google Scholar 

  7. Benoit G, Quillard J, Monod P, Giuliano F, Baron JC, Moukarzel M, Jardin A (1991) Identiflcation histologique des afférences du plexus pelvien. Prog Urol 1: 67–70

    Google Scholar 

  8. Benoit G, Gillot C, Jardin A (1992) Réflexion et proposition sur la nomenclature de la prostate. Surg Radiol Anat 15: 325–332

    Google Scholar 

  9. Born GI (1883) Die Platten-Modell-Methode. Arch Mikrosk Anat Entwicklungsgesch 22: 584–599

    Google Scholar 

  10. Caine M (1986) The present role of alpha adrenergic blockers in the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy. J Urol 136: 4–10

    Google Scholar 

  11. Chapple CR, Aubry ML, James S, Greengrass PM, Burnstock G, Tuner-Warwick RT, Milroy EJ, Davey MJ (1989) Characterization of human prostatic adenoreceptors using pharmacology receptor binding and localisation. Br J Urol 63: 487–491

    Google Scholar 

  12. Chapple CR, Crowe R, Gilpin SA, Gosling J, Burnstock G (1991) The innervation of the human prostate gland, the changes associated with benign enlargement. J Urol 146: 1637–1644

    Google Scholar 

  13. Clegg EJ (1955) The arterial supply of the human prostate and seminal vesicles. J Anat, pp 209–216

  14. Delmas J, Laux G (1952) Système nerveux sympathique. Masson, Paris, p 195

    Google Scholar 

  15. Eckard C (1963) Untersuchungen über die Erektion des Penis beim Hunde. Beitr Anat Physiol 3: 123–135

    Google Scholar 

  16. El Badawi A, Schenck EA (1974) A new theory of the innervation of the bladder musculature. Innervation of the vesicourethral junction and external sphincter. J Urol 111: 613–618

    Google Scholar 

  17. Ekstrom J, Malmberg L (1984) On a cholinergic motor innervation of the rat urethra. Acta Physiol Scand 120: 237–242

    Google Scholar 

  18. Francks LM (1954) Benign nodular hyperplasia of the prostate: a review. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 14: 92–106

    Google Scholar 

  19. Gaunt WA, Gaunt PN (1978) Three dimentional reconstruction in biology. Pitman, London

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gil Vernet S (1964) Innervation somatique et végétative des organes génitourinaires. Acta Urol Belg 32: 265–293

    Google Scholar 

  21. Gil Vernet S (1953) Biologica y pathologica de la prostata. Montalvo, Madrid

    Google Scholar 

  22. Gosling JA, Dixon JS, Lendon RG (1977) The autonomic innervation of the human male and female bladder neck and proximal urethra. J Urol 118: 302–305

    Google Scholar 

  23. Gosling JA, Dixon JS (1975) Structure and innervation of smooth muscle in the wall of the bladder neck and proximal urethra. Br J Urol 47: 549–553

    Google Scholar 

  24. Gosling JA, Dixon JS, Humpherson JR (1983) Functional anatomy of the urinary tract. Churchill Livingstone, London, pp 515–520

    Google Scholar 

  25. Hervonen A, Vaalasti A, Vaalasti T, Partanen T, Kanessa I (1976) Paraganglia in the urogenital tract of man. Histochemistry 46: 307–313

    Google Scholar 

  26. Hillarp NA (1946) The construction and functional innervation apparatus of the autonomic nervous system. Acta Anat, pp 212–218

  27. Hulsebosch LE, Lcoggeshall RE (1982) An analysis of the axon population in the nerves to the pelvic viscers in the rat. J Comp Neurol 211: 1–9

    Google Scholar 

  28. Johnson FP (1920) The later development of the urethra in the male. J Urol 4: 447–493

    Google Scholar 

  29. Kobayashi S, Denura T, Nonomura K, Koyanagi T (1991) Autoradiographic localization of alpha 1 adrenoceptors in human prostate: special reference to zonal difference. J Urol 146: 887–890

    Google Scholar 

  30. Koyanagi T (1980) Studies on the sphincteric system located distally in the urethra. The external urethral sphincter revisited. J Urol 124: 400–408

    Google Scholar 

  31. Kumajai A, Koyanagi T, Takahashi Y (1987) The innervation of the external urethral sphincter: an ultrastructural study in male human subjects. Urol Res 15: 39–43

    Google Scholar 

  32. Lange W, Unger J (1990) Peptidergic innervation within the prostate gland and seminal vesicle. Urol Res 18: 337–340

    Google Scholar 

  33. Langley JN, Anderson HK (1896) The innervation of the pelvic viscera and adjoining viscera: the external generative organs. J Physiol 20: 372–379

    Google Scholar 

  34. Larson LI (1977) Occurence of nerves containing vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity in the male genital tract. Life Sci 21: 503–512

    Google Scholar 

  35. Latarjet A, Bonnet P (1913) Le plexus hypogastrique chez l'homme. Lyon Chir 9: 221–228

    Google Scholar 

  36. Learmonth JR (1931) A contribution to the neurophysiology of the urinary bladder in man. Brain 54: 147–153

    Google Scholar 

  37. Lepor H, Gregerman M, Crosby R, Mostofl FK, Walsh PC (1985) Precise localization of the autonomic nerves from the pelvic plexus to the corpora cavernosa: a detailed anatomical study of the adult male pelvis. J Urol 133: 207–212

    Google Scholar 

  38. Leydig F (1850) Zur Anatomie der männlichen Geschlechts- und Analdrüsen der Saugetiere. Z Wiss Zool 2: 24–37

    Google Scholar 

  39. Mc Neal JE (1968) Regional morphology and pathology of the prostate. Am J Clin Pathol 49: 347–357

    Google Scholar 

  40. Mc Neal JE (1972) The prostate and prostatic urethra: a morphologic synthesis. J Urol 107: 1008–1016

    Google Scholar 

  41. Mc Neal JE (1978) Origin and evolution of benign prostatic enlargement. Invest Urol 15: 340–345

    Google Scholar 

  42. Mc Neal JE (1980) Anatomy of the prostate: an historical survey of divergent views. The Prostate 1: 3–13

    Google Scholar 

  43. Motz B, Perearnau (1905) Contribution à l'étude de l'évolution de l'hypertrophie de la prostate. Ann Mal Org Genito-Urinaires 25: 1521–1572

    Google Scholar 

  44. Muller J (1835) Über die organischen Nerven der erektilen männlichen Geschlechtsorgane. Abh Preuss Akad Wiss Berlin

  45. Oelrich TM (1980) The urethral sphincter muscle in the male. Am J Anat 158: 229–246

    Google Scholar 

  46. Price D (1963) Comparative aspects of development and structure in the prostate. Monograph Natl Cancer Inst 12: 1–27

    Google Scholar 

  47. Runham NW, Davies DA, Roberts D (1990) Computer aided three dimensional reconstruction from serial section. Eur Micr Anat 3: 15–18

    Google Scholar 

  48. Sjostrand NO (1965) The adrenergic innervation of the vas deferens and the accessory male genital glands and experimental and comparative study of its anatomical and functionnal organization in some mammals, including presence of adenalin and chromaffin cells in these organs. Acta Physiol Scand 65 [Suppl 1]: 1–12

    Google Scholar 

  49. Smith ER, Miller TB, Wilson MM, Appel MC (1984) Effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide on canine prostatic contraction and secretion. Am J Physiol 247: 701–708

    Google Scholar 

  50. Tanagho EA, Schmidt RA, de Aranja CG (1982) Urinary striated sphincter. What is its nerve supply? Urology 20: 415–417

    Google Scholar 

  51. Vaalasti A, Hervonen A (1980) Autonomic innervation of the human prostate. Invest Urol 17: 293–297

    Google Scholar 

  52. Vaalasti A, Linnoila I, Hervonen A (1980) Immunohistochemical demonstration of VIP, and enkephalin immunoreactive nerves fibers in the human prostate and seminal vesicle. Histochemistry 66: 89–92

    Google Scholar 

  53. Vaalasti A, Taino H, Pelto-Huikko M, Hervonen A (1986) Light and electron microscope demonstration of VIP and enkephalin immunoreactive nerves in the human male genitourinary tract. Anat Rec 215: 21–27

    Google Scholar 

  54. Van Wagenen G (1936) The coagulating function of the lobe of the prostate gland in the monkey. Anat Rec 56: 411–421

    Google Scholar 

  55. Villers A, McNeal JE, Redwine EA, Freiha FS, Stamey TA (1990) The role of perineural space invasion in the local spead of prostatic adenocarcinoma. J Urol 142: 763–769

    Google Scholar 

  56. Walsh PC, Lepor H, Eggeston JC (1983) Radical prostatectomy with preservation of sexual function: anatomical and pathological considerations. Prostate 4: 473–482

    Google Scholar 

  57. Weibel ER (1979) Practical methods for biological morphometry. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Chirurgie Expérimentale, Université Paris-Sud, 78, rue du Général Leclerc, F-94270, Bicêtre Cedex, France

    G Benoit, L Merlaud & F Giuliano

  2. Laboratoire d'Anatomie, UFR Biomédicale des Saints-Pères, Université Paris-Sud, 78, rue du Général Leclerc, F-94270, Bicêtre Cedex, France

    G Benoit & M Ledroux

  3. Laboratoire d'Anatomie Pathologique, Université Paris-Sud, 78, rue du Général Leclerc, F-94270, Bicêtre Cedex, France

    G Meduri & J Quillard

  4. Service d'Urologie, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Université Paris-Sud, 78, rue du Général Leclerc, F-94270, Bicêtre Cedex, France

    G Benoit, M Moukarzel, F Giuliano & A Jardin

Authors
  1. G Benoit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L Merlaud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G Meduri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M Moukarzel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J Quillard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M Ledroux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. F Giuliano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. A Jardin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This study was made with the aid of a grant from the ARTP (Association pour la Recherche sur les Tumeurs Prostatiques)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Benoit, G., Merlaud, L., Meduri, G. et al. Anatomy of the prostatic nerves. Surg Radiol Anat 16, 23–29 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01627917

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01627917

Key words

Search

Navigation