Quick Facts
Sympathetic Contribution: Preganglionic efferent fibers from T10-L2 spinal cord levels run via the lesser splanchnic nerve, the least splanchnic nerve, and lumbar splanchnic nerves to the inferior hypogastric plexus, where they synapse on ganglia.
Parasympathetic Contribution: Preganglionic efferent fibers from S2-S4 spinal cord levels run via sacral and pelvic splanchnic nerves to the inferior hypogastric plexus, where they synapse on ganglia.
Course: Runs from the inferior hypogastric plexus along the ductus deferens towards the testis.
Sympathetic Supply: The sympathetic fibers innervate the vasculature, smooth muscle, and epithelial cells of the ductus deferens and the caudal epididymis.
Parasympathetic Supply: The parasympathetic fibers innervate the epithelial lining of the ductus deferens and caudal epididymis.
Contributing Nerves
The deferential plexus is a nerve plexus that emerges from the inferior hypogastric plexus.
Sympathetic fibers originating at T10- L2 spinal cord levels run via the lesser splanchnic nerve, the least splanchnic nerve, and lumbar splanchnic nerves to the inferior hypogastric plexus, where they synapse on ganglia.
Parasympathetic fibers originating at the S2-4 spinal cord levels run via sacral and pelvic splanchnic nerves to the inferior hypogastric plexus, where they synapse on ganglia.
Visceral sensory fibers run from the ductus deferens back to the inferior hypogastric plexus, to dorsal root ganglia, and to the spinal cord (Kaleczyc, 1998).
Course
The deferential plexus runs from the inferior hypogastric plexus to the ductus deferens close to the ejaculatory duct. It runs along the ductus deferens towards the testis and caudal epididymis.
Branches
The deferential plexus is an unbranched terminal nerve. Anastomotic connections with fibers of the spermatic nerve are possible in the epididymis.
Supplied Structures
Sympathetic efferent fibers of the deferential plexus are distributed to the vasculature and smooth muscle of the ductus deferens and caudal epididymis. Parasympathetic efferent fibers innervate the epithelial lining of the ductus deferens and caudal epididymis (Kihara, 1998; Kihara, Sato and Oshima, 1998).
Visceral sensory fibers from the ductus deferens and caudal epididymis are transmitted back towards the CNS through the deferential plexus.
References
Kaleczyc, J. (1998) 'Origin and neurochemical characteristics of nerve fibres supplying the mammalian vas deferens', Microscopy Research and Technique, 42(6), pp. 409-422.
Kihara, K. (1998) 'Introduction to innervation of the vas deferens', Microsc Res Tech, 42(6), pp. 387-9.
Kihara, K., Sato, K. and Oshima, H. (1998) 'Sympathetic efferent pathways projecting to the vas deferens.', Microscopy Research and Technique, 42(6), pp. 398-408.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Plexus
Visceral plexuses are a network of nerve fiber and ganglia surrounding organs of the abdomen and pelvis region that convey sympathetic, parasympathetic, and visceral afferent input.
