Abstract:

The objective of the study was to explore whether progesterone meet the requirement for acting on neurons of Nodose Ganglion (NG), thereby involving in the regulation of gastrointestinal activity by affecting primary afferent neurons of viscera. We used immunohistochemical SP method to detect the expression of progesterone receptor (PR) in Nodose Ganglion of female goat. The results indicated that PR immunoreactive products distributed widely in Nodose Ganglion of female goat, varying degrees of which were shown in neurons, satellite cells, Schwann cells and nerve fibers. The cell membrane of neurons presented brown as strong positive, and the Nissl bodies was moderate or weak positive in the cytoplasm. Most of neurons’ karyoplasm was strong positive,but the nucleolus was clear vacuoles. PR was strong positive on the majority of satellite cells, but others’ nucleus revealed a vacuolization having no staining. There were flaxen PR-immunoreactive products performing weak positive in Schwann cells and nerve fibers. Image analysis shows that compared with other non-nerve cells, PR of neurons was extremely significant (P＜0.01). The result proved that the visceral sensory neurons in NG were the main target cells of progesterone. That is to say, progesterone possibly impacts on visceral sensory neurons in NG of female goats, thereby affecting the activities of gastrointestinal activity through afferent part of the visceral reflex arc, and the PR in NG acts as the network node to coordinate the endocrine regulation of progesterone and neuroregulation of autonomic nerve on gastrointestinal function.