Effects on the External Urethral Sphincter

Means standard error of the mean are calculated. Statistical evaluation is performed by using Student s t-test for paired or unpaired data. 

In some studies, denervation of the external urethral sphincter was performed (Somma et al. 1989 Parlani et al. 1992). Rats were anesthetized with 30 mg/kg penthotal i.p., then the major pelvic ganglia, known to provide both sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation to the urinary bladder and the external urethral sphincter (Hulsebosh and Goggeshall 1982 Purinton et al. 1973 Watanabe and Yamamoto 1979) are isolated and bilaterally removed through a small incision of the lower abdomen. 

In the same preparations, somatic denervation of the external urethral sphincter was obtained by cutting the pudendal nerves. The paravertebral muscles were care- 

Hulsebosh CE, Goggeshall RE (1982) An analysis of the axon population in the nerves to the pelvic viscera in the rat. J Comp Neurol 211 1-10 

Parlani M, Manzini S, Argentino-Storino A, Conte B (1992) The rat external urethral sphincter. An in vitro model to evaluate the activity of drugs on the smooth and striated components of the urinary bladder outlet. J Pharmacol Toxicol Meth 28 85-90 

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