Abstract
Seminal vesicles (SVs), a pair of male accessory glands, contract upon sympathetic nerve excitation during ejaculation while developing spontaneous phasic constrictions in the inter-ejaculatory storage phase. Recently, the fundamental role of the mucosa in generating spontaneous activity in SV of the guinea pig has been revealed. Stretching the mucosa-intact but not mucosa-denuded SV smooth muscle evokes spontaneous phasic contractions arising from action potential firing triggered by electrical slow waves and associated Ca2+ flashes. These spontaneous events primarily depend on sarco-endoplasmic reticulum (SR/ER) Ca2+ handling linked with the opening of Ca2+-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) resulting in the generation of slow waves. Slow waves in mucosa-intact SV smooth muscle are abolished upon blockade of gap junctions, suggesting that seminal smooth muscle cells are driven by cells distributed in the mucosa. In the SV mucosal preparations dissected free from the smooth muscle layer, a population of cells located just beneath the epithelium develop spontaneous Ca2+ transients relying on SR/ER Ca2+ handling. In the lamina propria of the SV mucosa, vimentin-immunoreactive interstitial cells including platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα)-immunoreactive cells are distributed, while known pacemaker cells in other smooth muscle tissues, e.g. c-Kit-positive interstitial cells or α-smooth muscle actin-positive atypical smooth muscle cells, are absent. The spontaneously-active subepithelial cells appear to drive spontaneous activity in SV smooth muscle either by sending depolarizing signals or by releasing humoral substances. Interstitial cells in the lamina propria may act as intermediaries of signal transmission from the subepithelial cells to the smooth muscle cells.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aumüller G, Riva A. Morphology and functions of the human seminal vesicle. Andrologia. 1992;24:183–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0272.1992.tb02636.x.
Al-Zuhair A, Gosling JA, Dixon JS. Observation on the structure and autonomic innervation of the guinea-pig seminal vesicle and ductus deferens. J Anat. 1975;120:81–93.
Clement P, Giuliano F. Physiology and pharmacology of ejaculation. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2016;119:18–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcpt.12546.
Capogrosso P, Serino A, Ventimiglia E, Boeri L, Dehò F, Damiano R, et al. Effects of silodosin on sexual function—realistic picture from the everyday clinical practice. Andrology. 2015;3:1076–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.12095.
Hisasue S, Furuya R, Itoh N, Kobayashi K, Furuya S, Tsukamoto T. Ejaculatory disorder caused by alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonists is not retrograde ejaculation but a loss of seminal emission. Int J Urol. 2006;13:1311–6. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-2042.2006.01535.x.
Hayashi T, Takeya M, Nakamura K, Matsuoka K. Effects of silodosin and tamsulosin on the seminal vesicle contractile response. LUTS. 2016;8:55–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/luts.12072.
Waddell JA. The pharmacology of the seminal vesicles. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1916;9:113–20.
Takeya M, Hashitani H, Hayashi T, Higashi R, Nakamura KI, Takano M. Role of mucosa in generating spontaneous activity in the guinea pig seminal vesicle. J Physiol. 2017;595:4803–21. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP273872.
Gonzales GF. Functional structure and ultrastructure of seminal vesicles. Arch Androl. 1989;22:1–13.
Price D, William-Ashman HG. The accessory reproductive glands of mammals. In: Young WC, editor. Sex and internal secretions, vol. 1. 3rd ed. Baltimore, MD: The Williams and Wilkins Co.; 1961. p. 366–448.
Melin P. In vivo recording of contractile activity of male accessory genital organs in rabbits. Acta Physiol Scand. 1970;79:109–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.1970.tb04706.x.
Veneziale CM, Brown AL, Prendergast FG. Histology and fine structure of guinea pig seminal vesicle. Mayo Clin Proc. 1974;49:309–13.
Tse MKW, Wong YC. Structural study of the involution of the seminal vesicles of the guinea pig following orchiectomy. Acta Anat. 1980;108:68–78. https://doi.org/10.1159/000145283.
Hib J, Ponzio R, Vilar O. In vivo recording of contractile activity of pelvic urethra and seminal vesicle in rats. Effects of electrical stimulations and neurohypophysial hormones. Andrologia. 1983;15:480–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0272.1983.tb00173.x.
Hib J, Ponzio R, Vilar O. Effects of autonomic drugs on contractions of rat seminal vesicles in vivo. J Reprod Fertil. 1984;70:197–202. https://doi.org/10.1530/jrf.0.0700197.
Turek PJ, Aslam K, Younes AK, Nguyen HT. Observation of seminal vesicle dynamics in an in vivo rat model. J Urol. 1998;159:1731–4. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005392-199805000-00102.
Ohkawa H. Further evidences for the cholinergic and adrenergic mechanisms in the isolated hypogastric nerve-seminal vesicle preparation of the guinea-pig. Bull Yamaguchi Med Sch. 1973;20:73–84.
Ohkawa H. Evidence for adrenergic transmission in the circular smooth muscle of the guinea-pig seminal vesicle. Tohoku J Exp Med. 1981;134:141–58. https://doi.org/10.1620/tjem.134.141.
Birowo P, Ückert S, Kedia GT, Sonnenberg JE, Thon WF, Rahardjo D, et al. Characterization of the effects of various drugs likely to affect smooth muscle tension on isolated human seminal vesicle tissue. Urology. 2010;75:974–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2009.09.034.
Narita H. The study of sperm transport through the human genital tract—pharmacological responses in vitro of the human genital tract. Jpn J Urol. 1983;74:1734–48. https://doi.org/10.5980/jpnjurol1928.74.10_1734.
Ohkawa H. Excitatory junction potentials recorded from the circular smooth muscles of the guinea-pig seminal vesicle. Tohoku J Exp Med. 1982;136:89–102. https://doi.org/10.1620/tjem.136.89.
Kubota Y, Hashitani H, Fukuta H, Sasaki S, Kohri K, Suzuki H. Mechanisms of excitatory transmission in circular smooth muscles of the guinea pig seminal vesicle. J Urol. 2003;169:390–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(05)64134-1.
Shigemasa Y, Lam M, Mitsui R, Hashitani H. Voltage dependence of slow wave frequency in the guinea pig prostate. J Urol. 2014;192:1286–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2014.03.034.
Hashitani H, van Helden DF, Suzuki H. Properties of spontaneous depolarizations in circular smooth muscle cells of rabbit urethra. Br J Pharmacol. 1996;118:1627–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.1996.tb15584.x.
Hashitani H, Edwards FR. Spontaneous and neurally activated depolarizations in smooth muscle cells of the guinea-pig urethra. J Physiol. 1999;514:459–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7793.1999.459ae.x.
Sadraei H, Beech DJ. Ionic currents and inhibitory effects of glibenclamide in seminal vesicle smooth muscle cells. Br J Pharmacol. 1995;115:1447–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.1995.tb16636.x.
Lang RJ, Hashitani H, Tonta MA, Parkington HC, Suzuki H. Spontaneous electrical and Ca2+ signals in typical and atypical smooth muscle cells and interstitial cell of Cajal-like cells of mouse renal pelvis. J Physiol. 2007;583:1049–68. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2007.137034.
Hashitani H, Takano H, Fujita K, Mitsui R, Suzuki H. Functional properties of suburothelial microvessels in the rat bladder. J Urol. 2011;185:2382–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2011.02.046.
Hashitani H, Mitsui R, Shimizu Y, Higashi R, Nakamura K. Functional and morphological properties of pericytes in suburothelial venules of the mouse bladder. Br J Pharmacol. 2012;167:1723–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2012.02125.x.
Sanders KM, Ward SM, Koh SD. Interstitial cells: regulators of smooth muscle function. Physiol Rev. 2014;94:859–907. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00037.2013.
Sergeant GP, Hollywood MA, McCloskey KD, Thornbury KD, McHale NG. Specialised pacemaking cells in the rabbit urethra. J Physiol. 2000;526:359–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7793.2000.t01-2-00359.x.
Levine N, Rinaldo JE, Schultz SG. Active chloride secretion by in vitro guinea-pig seminal vesicle and its possible relation to vesicular function in vivo. J Physiol. 1975;246:197–211. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1975.sp010886.
Liao SB, Cheung KH, O WS, Tang F. Adrenomedullin increases the short-circuit current in the mouse seminal vesicle: actions on chloride secretion. Biol Reprod. 2014;91:31, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.113.116848.
Jang Y, Oh U. Anoctamin 1 in secretory epithelia. Cell Calcium. 2014;55:355–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceca.2014.02.006.
van Helden DF, Imtiaz MS. Ca2+ phase waves: a basis for cellular pacemaking and long-range synchronicity in the guinea-pig gastric pylorus. J Physiol. 2003;548:271–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7793.2003.00271.x.
Sui G, Fry CH, Montgomery B, Roberts M, Wu R, Wu C. Purinergic and muscarinic modulation of ATP release from the urothelium and its paracrine actions. Am J Physiol Ren Physiol. 2014;306:F286–98. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajprenal.00291.2013.
Gonzales GF. Function of seminal vesicles and their role on male fertility. Asian J Androl. 2001;3:251–8.
Lang RJ, Davidson ME, Exintaris B. Pyeloureteral motility and ureteral peristalsis: essential role of sensory nerves and endogenous prostaglandins. Exp Physiol. 2002;87:129–46. https://doi.org/10.1113/eph8702290.
Hashitani H, Yanai Y, Shirasawa N, Soji T, Tomita A, Kohri K, Suzuki H. Interaction between spontaneous and neutrally mediated regulation of smooth muscle tone in the rabbit corpus cavernosum. J Physiol. 2005;569:723–35. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2005.099309.
Won KJ, Sanders KM, Ward SM. Interstitial cells of Cajal mediate mechanosensitive responses in the stomach. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005;102:14913–8. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503628102.
Robertson SA. Seminal plasma and male factor signalling in the female reproductive tract. Cell Tissue Res. 2005;322:43–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-005-1127-3.
Bromfield JJ. Seminal fluid and reproduction: much more than previously thought. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2014;31:627–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0243-y.
Crawford G, Ray A, Gudi A, Shah A, Homburg R. The role of seminal plasma for improved outcomes during in vitro fertilization treatment: review of the literature and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update. 2015;21:275–84. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmu052.
Robertson SA, Sharkey DJ. Seminal fluid and fertility in women. Fertil Steril. 2016;106:511–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.07.1101.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
1 Electronic Supplementary Material
Nerve-independent, spontaneous contractions of an excised guinea pig whole SV connected to an irrigator (3× speed replay) (M2V 87708 kb)
Asynchronous spontaneous Ca2+ transients and subsequent ATP Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) (100 μM)-induced Ca2+ transients in SV submucosal cells (3× speed replay) (MP4 4651 kb)
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Takeya, M., Hayashi, T., Hashitani, H., Takano, M. (2019). Mucosa-Dependent, Stretch-Sensitive Spontaneous Activity in Seminal Vesicle. In: Hashitani, H., Lang, R. (eds) Smooth Muscle Spontaneous Activity. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1124. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-5895-1_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-5895-1_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-5894-4
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-5895-1
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)