Structural organization of the neuronal pathways of the superior ovarian nerve in the rat

BACKGROUND: In the rat, studies have shown that ovary innervation arrives via the superior ovarian nerve (SON) and the ovarian plexus nerve, which originates from the celiac plexus (CP). In the present study, we performed a neuroanatomical technique to investigate the anatomy of the SON between the ovary and the CP. RESULTS: We found that the SON fibers were concentrated on the lateral border of the suprarenal ganglion and projected towards, then inserted into the suspensory ligament. Then, it ran parallel to the long axis of the ligament to reach and innervate the ovaries. At this level, the SON was composed of two coiled nerve fibers, each between 10 and 15 µm in diameter. The SON was linked to three different ganglia: the suprarenal ganglia, the celiac ganglia, and the superior mesenteric ganglion. CONCLUSIONS: The postganglionic fibers that project to the ovary via the SON emerge from the suprarenal ganglia. The trajectories on the right and left sides to each ovary are similar. The somas of ipsilateral and contralateral SON neurons are located in the prevertebral ganglia, mostly in the celiac ganglia.