A novel method of seminal vesicle preparation in isolated seminal vesicle experiments in the rat: Ring preparation

In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of a novel method of seminal vesicle (SV) preparation - ring preparation method - in isolated SV experiments in the rat. Rat SVs were prepared as strips and rings and applied to organ baths. The relaxation responses by sodium nitroprusside or doxazosin and contractile responses by electrical field stimulation (EFS) were recorded in both groups. We compared the proportion of tissues that showed consistent responses to the stimuli - drug or EFS - in both groups. And magnitudes of the contractile or relaxation responses were also evaluated in the two groups. In strip preparations (n=20), six tissues (30%) showed stable responses to drugs and were regarded to be useful. However, in ring preparations (n=20), 13 tissues (65%) showed stable responses (P<0.001). Similarly, consistent contractile responses to the EFS were recorded in eight strips (40%) and 13 rings (65%) (n=20 in each group; P<0.05). The magnitudes of the relaxations by drugs were not different between the two methods (P=0.42) and the contractions by EFS were higher in ring preparations (P<0.05). The ring preparation seems to be better for responses to drugs and EFS compared with the strip preparations and, therefore, might be an alternative technique for in vitro SV experiments.