Abstract
Storage and voiding of urine from the lower urinary tract (LUT) must be timed precisely to occur in appropriate behavioral contexts. A major part of the CNS circuit that coordinates this activity is found in the lumbosacral spinal cord. Immediate early gene (IEG) activity mapping has been widely used to investigate the lumbosacral LUT‐related circuit, but most reports focus on the effects of noxious stimulation in anesthetized female rats. Here we use c‐Fos and EGR‐1 (Zif268) activity mapping of lumbosacral spinal cord to investigate cystometry‐induced micturition in awake female and male rats. In females, after cystometry c‐Fos neurons in spinal cord segments L5–S2 were concentrated in the sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN), dorsal horn laminae II–IV, and dorsal commissural nucleus (SDCom). Comparisons of cystometry and control groups in male and female revealed sex differences. Activity mapping suggested dorsal horn laminae II–IV was activated in females but showed net inhibition in males. However, inhibition in male rats was not detected by EGR‐1 activity mapping, which showed low coexpression with c‐Fos. A class of catecholamine neurons in SPN and SDCom neurons were also more strongly activated by micturition in females. In both sexes, most c‐Fos neurons were identified as excitatory by their absence of Pax2 expression. In conclusion, IEG mapping in awake male and female rats has extended our understanding of the functional molecular anatomy of the LUT‐related circuit in spinal cord. Using this approach, we have identified sex differences that were not detected by previous studies in anesthetized rats.
Highlights
Micturition and scent marking are normally precisely timed to synchronize with appropriate behaviors
We focused on the lumbosacral spinal cord as this contains the primary sensory and motor spinal cord projections that coordinate lower urinary tract (LUT) reflex activities such as micturition and scent marking with complex behavioral output (Fowler et al, 2008; Holstege & Collewijn, 2009; Hou, Hyun, et al, 2016; Keller et al, 2018; Yao et al, 2018)
Previous comparisons of surgically naive and sham operated groups did not detect any differential effects on c-Fos+ neurons in lumbosacral spinal cord (Vizzard, 2000a, 2000b)
Summary
Micturition (voiding of urine) and scent marking are normally precisely timed to synchronize with appropriate behaviors. LUT functions such as micturition or scent marking are controlled by descending motor commands from Barrington's nucleus (pontine micturition center) supported by other brain regions (Hou, Hyun, et al, 2016; Keller et al, 2018; Yao et al, 2018) This input is received by multiple types of interneurons (local circuit neurons) that only project within or between spinal cord segments (Deuchars, 2011; Shefchyk, 2001; Vera & Nadelhaft, 2000), in addition to direct input onto parasympathetic preganglionic neurons that provide the autonomic motor output required to contract the bladder and relax the internal smooth muscle sphincter during voiding (Anderson, Keast, & McLachlan, 2009; Holstege & Collewijn, 2009). We used IEG activity mapping to study non-noxious LUT stimulation by cystometry-induced micturition in awake female and male rats
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