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. 1974 Dec;52(4):539–547. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1974.tb09722.x

The innervation of the rat cervix and its pharmacology in vitro and in vivo

M Hollingsworth
PMCID: PMC1776889  PMID: 4455329

Abstract

1 Contractions of the rat cervix and uterine horns were measured both in vitro and in vivo as changes in luminal perfusion pressure during perfusion at constant flow.

2 Spontaneous cervical and uterine horn contractions in vitro were reduced from rats pre-treated with 17β-oestradiol compared to those ovariectomized only or those pre-treated with 17β-oestradiol plus progesterone.

3 The rat cervix exhibited similar in vitro sensitivities to methacholine, oxytocin, isoprenaline and phenylephrine as did the uterine horns.

4 Transmural stimulation produced cervical and uterine horn contractions, which were blocked by hyoscine or tetrodotoxin, suggesting a cholinergic motor innervation. This was supported by histological findings.

5 In vivo, the injections of propranolol (1.9 × 10-7 mol/kg) or pempidine (3.2 or 6.4 × 10-6 mol/kg) were followed by large cervical and smaller uterine horn contractions, suggesting an adrenergic inhibitory tone mediated by β-adrenoceptors.

6 The evidence for a cervical sphincter is discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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