Anatomic and functional mapping of human uterine innervation

To better understand the physiology of pain in pelvic pain pathological conditions, such as endometriosis, in which alterations of uterine innervation have been highlighted, we performed an anatomic and functional mapping of the macro- and microinnervation of the human uterus. Our aim was to provide a 3-dimensional reconstruction model of uterine innervation. This was an experimental study. We dissected the pelvises of 4 human female fetuses into serial sections, and treated them with hematoxylin and eosin staining before immunostaining. Academic Research Unit. None. None. Detection of nerves (S100 +) and characterization of the types of nerves. The slices obtained were aligned to construct a 3-dimensional model. A 3-dimensional model of uterine innervation was constructed. The nerve fibers appeared to have a centripetal path from the uterine serosa to the endometrium. Within the myometrium, innervation was dense. Endometrial innervation was sparse but present in the functional layer of the endometrium. Overall innervation was richest in the supravaginal cervix and rarer in the body of the uterus. Innervation was rich particularly laterally to the cervix next to the parametrium and paracervix. Four types of nerve fibers were identified: autonomic sympathetic (TH+), parasympathetic (VIP+), and sensitive (NPY+, CGRP1+ and VIP+). They were found in the 3 portions and the 3 layers of the uterus. We constructed a 3-dimensional model of the human uterine innervation. This model could provide a solid base for studying uterine innervation in pathologic situations, in order to find new therapeutic approaches. Mapeo funcional y anatómico de la inervación uterina. Para comprender mejor la fisiología del dolor pélvico en patologías que lo provocan, como la endometriosis, en la que se han destacado alteraciones en la inervación uterina, realizamos un mapeo anatómico y funcional de la macro- y microinervación del útero humano. Nuestra intención fue aportar un modelo de reconstrucción tridimensional de la inervación uterina. Se trata de un estudio experimental. Diseccionamos las pelvis de 4 fetos femeninos humanos en cortes seriados y los tratamos con una tinción de hematoxilina eosina antes de la inmunotinción. Unidad de investigación académica. Ninguno. Ninguna. Ninguna. detección de nervios (S100 +) y caracterización del tipo de nervios. Los cortes obtenidos se alinearon para construir un modelo tridimensional. Se construyó un modelo tridimensional de inervación uteri