The present study was carried out on sexually mature boars. All the animals were injected with fast blue into right testis and then divided into four groups (G1- control animals, G2 - hemicastrated, G3 - castrated, and G4 - castrated and injected with testosterone). After 3 weeks, G1 pigs were transcardially perfused. In G2 pigs right testes, whereas in G3 and G4 animals both testes were removed. G4 pigs were injected with testosterone. After 2 weeks, the pigs were transcardially perfused and then their caudal mesenteric ganglia (CaMG) and anterior pelvic ganglia (APG) were collected. The ganglia were cut into 12 µm-thick cryostat sections. Sections were stained using antisera against TH or DßH, VACHT or CHAT, NPY, VIP and GAL, and androgen receptor (AR). Immunohistochemical staining of CaMG-sections revealed that approximately 74% of FB-positive (FB⁺) neurons contained immunoreactivity to TH or DßH, whereas 4% of FB⁺ cells were VACHT-positive. Among FB⁺/DßH⁺ neurons, 72% contained NPY and 2% stained for GAL. All FB⁺/VACHT⁺ neurons were also VIP⁺. 62% of FB⁺ somata were NPY⁺, whereas 6% stained for VIP. In all experimental animals, numbers of FB⁺perikarya immunoreactive to TH (approx. 30%) and DßH (approx. 50%) were smaller than those found in G1 animals, whereas numbers of neurons displaying immunoreactivity to other substances studied were higher. The most significant increases regarded those expressing GAL (approx. 30%) and VIP (approx. 20%) whereas less distinct changes dealt with NPY⁺ and VAChT⁺ or ChAT⁺ neurones. In APG, 60% of FB⁺ neurons contained immunoreactivity to TH or DßH, whereas 12% of FB⁺ cells were VACHT-positive. Among FB⁺/DßH⁺ neurons, 55% contained NPY and 3% stained for GAL. All FB⁺/VACHT⁺ neurons were also VIP⁺. 46% of FB⁺ somata were NPY-IR, whereas 19% stained for VIP. In all experimental pigs, the immunohistochemical properties of the APG FB⁺ neurones were similar to those found in relation to CaMG-perikarya. Neurones of both studied ganglia were surrounded by dense networks of VACHT-positive nerve fibres. The most apparent changes in the immunohistochemical features of the FB⁺ neurons evoked by bilateral castration were observed in G3 pigs; whereas changes found in G4 were very similar to those observed in G2 animals.
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