Organisation of Autonomic Nervous Structures in the Small Intestine of Chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger,Molina)

Using histochemical, histological and immunocytochemical methods, organisation of the autonomic nerve structures in small intestine of chinchilla was investigated. Myenteric plexus was localised between circular and longitudinal layers of the smooth muscles. Forming network nodes, the small autonomic, cholinergic ganglia were linked with the bundles of nerve fibres. Adrenergic structures were visible as specific varicose, rosary‐like fibres forming bundles of parallel fibres connecting network nodes. Structures of the submucosal plexus formed a finer network than those of the myenteric plexus. Moreover, in ‘whole‐mount’ specimens, fibres forming thick perivascular plexuses were also observed. Immunocytochemical studies confirmed the cholinergic and adrenergic character of the investigated structures. VAChT‐positive neurones were found only in myenteric plexus, and numerous VAChT‐positive and DBH‐positive fibres were found in both plexuses.     

An immunohistochemical study of various peptide-containing endocrine cells and neurones at the equine ileocaecal junction

The ileocaecal junctions of 5 horses and 2 donkeys were examined by using antisera to the following peptides: somatostatin, glucagon, gastrin, neurotensin, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Antisera to somatostatin, neurotensin and NPY demonstrated endocrine cells in the ileal- and caecal parts of the ileocaecal junction, while immunoreactivity for glucagon was demonstrated in endocrine cells of the ileal part only. Nerve cell bodies showing immunoreactivity to SP, VIP, CGRP and PHI were demonstrated in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses and were associated with small blood vessels in the submucosa of all the regions tested. Ramified nerve fibres in the submucosa immunoreactive to SP, VIP, CGRP and PHI extended to the mucosa and to small blood vessels in the submucosa. Nerve fibres showing immunoreactivity to SP, VIP and PHI extended to the circular smooth muscle layer of the ileocaecal junction.     

The Distribution and Chemical Coding of Intramural Nerve Structures Supplying the Porcine Stomach

The present study investigated the arrangement and chemical coding of intramural nerve structures supplying the porcine stomach. Tissue samples comprising all layers of the wall of the ventricular fundus were collected from juvenile female pigs (n = 4), which were first deeply anaesthetized and then transcardially perfused with buffered paraformaldehyde. The cryostat sections were processed for double‐labelling immunofluorescence to study the distribution of the intramural nerve structures (visualized with antibodies against protein gene‐product 9.5) and their neurochemical characteristics using antibodies against vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), galanin (GAL), vasoactive intestinal‐polypeptide (VIP), somatostatin (SOM) and substance P (SP). The study confirmed the presence of three distinct nerve plexuses within the wall of the porcine stomach including one myenteric plexus and two, outer and inner, submucous plexuses. The outer and inner submucous plexuses (OSP and ISP, respectively) were similar in respect to the chemical coding of neurons they contained. Most of the neurons expressed immunoreactivity to SP (ISP 58%; OSP 60%) or to VAChT (ISP 56%; OSP 56%), some of them stained for GAL (ISP 18%; OSP 15%) and solitary nerve cells were SOM‐positive (in ISP only). No neurons in the submucous plexuses displayed immunoreactivity to VIP or NOS. In the myenteric plexus, some neurons stained for NOS (20%), VAChT (15%), GAL (10%), VIP (8%) or SP (8%) while no neurons immunoreactive for SOM were encountered. In both submucous and myenteric plexuses, many varicose nerve fibres expressed immunoreactivity to VAChT, GAL or SP, while VIP‐, SOM‐ or NOS‐positive nerve terminals were less numerous. The comparison of the present results with those obtained by other authors has revealed distinct inter‐species differences regarding the arrangement and chemical coding of nerve structures supplying the mammalian stomach.     

Vasculogenesis by Endothelial Progenitor Cells In Vitro

The present study investigated the arrangement and chemical coding of intramural nerve structures supplying the porcine stomach. Tissue samples comprising all layers of the wall of the ventricular fundus were collected from juvenile female pigs ( n  = 4), which were first deeply anaesthetized and then transcardially perfused with buffered paraformaldehyde. The cryostat sections were processed for double-labelling immunofluorescence to study the distribution of the intramural nerve structures (visualized with antibodies against protein gene-product 9.5) and their neurochemical characteristics using antibodies against vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), galanin (GAL), vasoactive intestinal-polypeptide (VIP), somatostatin (SOM) and substance P (SP). The study confirmed the presence of three distinct nerve plexuses within the wall of the porcine stomach including one myenteric plexus and two, outer and inner, submucous plexuses. The outer and inner submucous plexuses (OSP and ISP, respectively) were similar in respect to the chemical coding of neurons they contained. Most of the neurons expressed immunoreactivity to SP (ISP 58%; OSP 60%) or to VAChT (ISP 56%; OSP 56%), some of them stained for GAL (ISP 18%; OSP 15%) and solitary nerve cells were SOM-positive (in ISP only). No neurons in the submucous plexuses displayed immunoreactivity to VIP or NOS. In the myenteric plexus, some neurons stained for NOS (20%), VAChT (15%), GAL (10%), VIP (8%) or SP (8%) while no neurons immunoreactive for SOM were encountered. In both submucous and myenteric plexuses, many varicose nerve fibres expressed immunoreactivity to VAChT, GAL or SP, while VIP-, SOM- or NOS-positive nerve terminals were less numerous. The comparison of the present results with those obtained by other authors has revealed distinct inter-species differences regarding the arrangement and chemical coding of nerve structures supplying the mammalian stomach.     

Comparative study of the distribution of NOS-positive neurons in pigeon intestine

Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in regulating gut motility, mucosal barrier function and secretions in the enteric nervous system. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) staining has been used to identify nitrergic neurons of the enteric nervous system in different species. However, NADPH-d staining lacks specificity because it also reflects the presence of enzymes other than nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Therefore, NOS immunohistochemistry techniques are needed to test for nitrergic neurons in the avian gut. In the present work, the morphology, density and size of NOS-positive neurons in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and rectum myenteric plexus of adult pigeons were investigated using NOS immunohistochemistry and whole-mount preparations techniques. The density of NOS-positive ganglion was highest in the ileum, similar to the caecum and rectum, and the lowest staining levels were observed in the duodenum. The staining intensity of NOS-positive neurons in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum was dark, followed by the rectal regions, with weak staining in the caecum. These results suggested that NOS immunohistochemistry and whole-mount preparation techniques provide an effective assessment method of the ganglia in the pigeon intestinal myenteric nerve plexus and are more accurate for cell counting compared with conventional sections.     

Lesions of the enteric nervous system and the possible role of mast cells in the pathogenic mechanisms of migration of schistosome eggs in the small intestine of cattle during Schistosoma bovis infection

The enteric nervous system in the small intestine of cattle during Schistosoma bovis infection was studied by histological stains and immunohistochemical methods. Lesions due to migration of schistosoma eggs were located mainly in the mucous and the submucous layer overlaying the submucous vascular arcades. Granulomas destroyed ganglia, neurons, nerves fibre strands and nerve fibres. Ganglia situated within or near granulomas were infiltrated by mast cells, eosinophils, lymphocytes, globule leukocytes, neutrophils and macrophages. Mast cells were in close contact with degenerating neuronal perikarya. Whereas vasoactive intestinal peptide-like immunoreactivity in the nerves and neurons in the ganglia within and around granulomas was increased, the neurofilament-like immunoreactivity was reduced. Compared to the myenteric and external submucous plexuses, the internal submucous and mucous plexuses were the most damaged. These changes imply reduced functional capacity in the nervous tissue which might cause reduced motility, malabsorption and partly account for the loss of body weight and condition and failure to thrive which occur in schistosomosis.Biotinylated affinity purified swine anti-rabbit and mouse anti-rabbit immunoglobulins reacted nonspecifically with a subset of mast cells. The reaction revealed many mast cells in early forming granulomas and around schistosome egg tracts and infiltration of mast cells into the ganglia of intestinal nerve plexuses. The observation shows a localized, Type I hypersensitivity reaction suggesting for the release of mast cell-derived chemical mediators in the intestinal reaction to trap or evict S. bovis eggs and to cause diarrhoea.     

The comparative analysis of the myenteric plexus in pigeon and hen

Using the thiocholine method and histological techniques the myenteric plexuses of pigeon and hen were studied. Investigations revealed the presence of a nervous network in the wall of the small intestine of both animals. It consists of many nerve fibres crossing each other and creating meshes in a variety of shapes. The density of the network was different according to the species and to the parts of intestine. The myenteric plexus from the pigeon's duodenum is thicker (3.7-fold) than in the remaining part of the small intestine; in the hen this is approximately 2.2-fold thicker. The meshes of the duodenum in both species are smaller than in the jejunum and ileum. The results of histological investigations showed different localization of myenteric plexuses; in pigeon in the space between the circular and longitudinal muscle layers, and in hen within the circular muscle.     

Distribution of substance P-like immunoreactivity in the enteric neurons of the large colon of normal and amitraz-treated ponies: an immunocytochemical study

The distribution of the putative motor excitatory neurotransmitter, substance P, was studied immunocytochemically in the left dorsal colon of four normal control ponies and three ponies with amitraz-induced impaction colic. Substance P-like immunoreactivity in the control ponies was observed in nerve fibres in all layers of the bowel wall and in the nerve cell bodies of the enteric ganglia. The substance P-like immunoreactivity was clearly more intense in the cell bodies of submucosal ganglia than in those of the myenteric ganglia. The internodal nerve strands of the myenteric plexus were very rich in substance P-like immunoreactivity and within the ganglia they formed dense varicose networks around the neuronal cell bodies. Nerve bundles rich in substance P-like immunoreactivity diverged inward from the myenteric plexus to contribute an abundance of varicose immunoreactive fibres to the circular muscle of the tunica muscularis. Nerve fascicles with substance P-like immunoreactivity were sparse in the longitudinal muscle except in the thickened taenial band. In the submucosa many of the nerve fibres with substance P-like immunoreactivity appeared to arise from ganglionic cell bodies. Immunoreactive fibres commonly condensed around arterial vessels in the submucosa. Fine immunoreactive nerve fascicles from the submucosal plexus also projected internally to supply the muscularis mucosae and form periglandular arrays in the lamina propria. The distribution of substance P-like immunoreactivity in the normal equine colon differed in some respects from patterns observed in large intestines of other mammals. When the colons of normal and amitraz-treated ponies were compared no differences were discerned in the distribution or intensity of substance P-like reactivity.     

Anatomical relationship between enkephalin-containing neurones and caecum-projecting neurones in the chicken intestinal nerve

The anatomical relationship between enkephalin-immunoreactive neurones and caecum-projecting neurones in the intestinal nerve of Remak (INR) of the chicken was investigated using retrograde transport of cholera toxin subunit B and immunohistochemistry with anti-enkephalin serum. After injection of cholera toxin into the base or body of the caecum, labelled neurones were mainly observed in the cranial part of the rectal INR. Enkephalin-immunoreactive neuronal cell bodies were found in the caudal part of the rectal INR and their fibres closely surrounded caecum-projecting neurones in the cranial part of the rectal INR. Diameters of caecum-projecting neurones surrounded with enkephalin-containing terminals were significantly larger than those of caecum- projecting neurones without enkephalin-terminals (P < 0.01). From these results, it is suggested that enkephalin-containing neurones are able to affect large-sized caecum-projecting neurones. This pathway may be involved with unique motility of the rectum and caeca that uric acid is retrogradely carried from the cloaca to the caeca.     

Expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the pancreas of the sheep

In numerous mammals, nitric oxide (NO) influences the activity of the exocrine and endocrine pancreas. In this study, immunocytochemistry was utilized to investigate the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the pancreas of sheep. In double immunocytochemical staining, the co-localization of nNOS with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), neuropeptide Y (NPY) or substance P (SP) was studied. The presence of nNOS was confined to the intrapancreatic neurones (9.6 +/- 1.3%) as well as to nerve fibres of the endocrine pancreas and intrapancreatic ganglia. nNOS-immunoreactive (IR) neurones were round and oval in shape and predominantly (83.3 +/- 2.6%) belonged to the middle-size group (25-50 mum). Numerous, fine islets supplying nNOS-IR nerve terminals were devoid of VIP, SP or NPY. Moderately numerous, non-varicose nNOS-IR nerve fibres of intrapancreatic ganglia frequently expressed VIP or NPY, but not SP; 2.2 +/- 0.6% of nNOS-IR intrapancreatic neurones displayed lack of VIP, whereas 7.5 +/- 0.8% were VIP-IR. All nNOS-IR neurones were devoid of SP. The frequencies of nNOS-IR/NPY-IR and nNOS-IR/NPY-negative intrapancreatic neurones were 2.2 +/- 0.4% and 6.1 +/- 1.1%, respectively. Comparison with other mammals indicated that nitrergic innervation of the ovine pancreas is species-determined and may be a reflection of the ruminants' digestion specificity. The possible origin of nNOS-IR nerve fibres and functional significance of NO in the pancreas of sheep were discussed.     

不同日龄仔猪小肠黏膜下神经丛神经元类型变化的研究

采用组织化学和免疫组织化学的方法对0、5、28日龄的仔猪小肠黏膜下神经丛中神经元类型的变化进行了定性研究和定量测定。结果表明，仔猪小肠黏膜下神经丛分为靠近环肌层表面的ESP(external submucosal plexus)和靠近黏膜肌层的ISP(internal submucosal plexus)；ESP与ISP神经纤维的性质不同，ESP主要是有髓神经纤维，而ISP主要是无髓神经纤维；随着日龄增长，黏膜下神经丛发育较快，ESP与ISP的差异日益显著。研究揭示：仔猪出生后黏膜下神经丛在形态和不同亚群神经元比例上均有一调整期，其生理学意义可能是使小肠黏膜下神经丛的功能日益完善。     

The influence of experimental ileitis on the neuropeptide coding of enteric neurons in the pig

In the present study, both the ELISA test and immunohistochemical staining were used to investigate the influence of artificially induced ileitis on the chemical coding of enteric neurons in the pig. The ileum wall in experimental (E) pigs was injected in multiple sites with 4% paraformaldehyde to induce inflammation, while in the control (C) animals, the organ was injected with 0.1M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Three days after ileitis induction, samples of ileum wall from all the animals were evaluated for VIP, SP, CGRP, NPY, GAL and SOM concentration (ELISA test) and the expression of these biologically active substances by the enteric neurons (immunohistochemical staining). Quantitative results showed that ileitis decreased tissue concentration of VIP, CGRP and SOM but increased tissue concentration of SP, NPY and GAL. Immunochemistry revealed that in both the experimental and control pigs, VIP-positive (VIP+) nerve fibers supplied mainly ileal blood vessels, and the labeled pericarya were located in the inner (ISP) and outer submucous plexus (OSP). SP+ and CGRP+ nerve terminals were found in both the mucous and muscular membrane, while the labeled pericarya were found in ISP, OSP and myenteric plexus (MP). In both C and E pigs, the very few nerve terminals containing NPY and SOM were located mainly in the mucous membrane. NPY- or/and SOM-immunopositive nerve cell bodies were found in ISP, OSP and MP. GAL+ nerve fibers supplied all layers of the ileum and were most numerous in the muscular membrane, while the labeled pericarya were present in all the enteric plexuses. The present results suggest that enteric neurons are highly plastic in their response to inflammation.     

Fractures of Ossified Rib Cartilages in the Horse – a Concern of Veterinarians?

The morphology, neurochemistry and function of intramural nerve structures in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract are relatively well known, but in normal, healthy individuals. The present study was aimed at investigating the chemical coding of nerve structures in the wall of the ileum and large intestine in normal pigs ( n  = 3) and in pigs undergoing dysentery ( n  = 6). Dysentery was evoked by artificial infection of the clinically healthy animals per os with Brachyspira hyodysenteriae . All the animals were deeply anaesthetized and transcardially perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde. The cryostat sections of the intestines were processed for double-labelling immunohistochemistry using antisera against PGP 9.5, GAL and VIP. In the intramural plexuses of the control pigs, the percentage of GAL-immunoreactive (GAL-IR) perykarya varied from 11% (descending colon) to 19% (centrifugal turns of the ascending colon) whereas in the dysenteric pigs, it was distinctly higher, reaching from 28% (ileum) up to 48% (cecum). In the control animals, the percentage of VIP-IR neuronal somata varied from 3% (descending colon) to 19% (ileum). In dysenteric pigs, it was from 6% (descending colon) up to 28% (cecum). In the muscular coat (MC) and mucous membrane (MM) of the normal intestine, very numerous GAL- and VIP-IR nerve fibres were observed. The nerve fibres in the myenteric plexus (MP) were even more numerous than those in the muscular coat while in the outer (OSP) and inner (ISP) submucous plexuses, they were less abundant. In the dysenteric pigs, the nerve fibres found in MC, MP and OSP were less numerous, whereas those observed in ISP and MM were more abundant than those in the control animals. The present results suggest that GAL and VIP are involved in the regulation of inflammatory processes developing in the porcine gastrointestinal tract during dysentery.     

Calcium-Binding Proteins and Neurotransmitters in the Stomach Myenteric Plexus of the Korean Native Goat

The expression of calbindin D-28k (CB), calretinin (CR), substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the stomach myenteric plexus of the Korean native goat stomach was investigated by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrated the presence of nerve fibers and cell bodies immunoreactive (IR) to CB, CR, SP and CGRP. In tissues of rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum, some distinct neuronal populations could be distinguished according to their morphologic and neuronal chemical properties: Dogiel type I cells which have irregular lamellar dendrites and a single axon, Dogiel type II cells which have large ovoid cell bodies and several long axon-like processes, and small filamentous interneurons. CB-, CR-, SP- and CGRP-IR neurons and fibers were observed in the myenteric plexus of stomach, and varicose nerve fiber immunostained to SP and CGRP also were found in the muscle layer. In myenteric plexus of the stomach, CB- and SP-positive neurons were characterized by Dogiel type II and CR-IR neurons were classified Dogiel type I with lamellar dendrites, and immunoreactivity of CGRP was very weak in the somata. SP- and CGRP-IR nerve fibers formed dense networks within the myenteric ganglia. SP-IR cell bodies and their fibers were found in the myenteric plexus, and the immunoreactivity and number of cell bodies were more than CB-, CR-, and CGRP-IR neurons. These results suggest that SP, CGRP, CB and CR in the myenteric neurons of Korean native goat stomach may have play an important role in the dynamic movement.
(Support contributed by: Korean Research Foundation 2003-015-E00195).     

An immunohistochemical study of the organization of ganglia and nerve fibres in the mucosa of the porcine intestine

In order to elucidate the organization of the enteric nervous system in the mucous plexus, wholemounts from six intestinal regions in six pigs were studied by vasoactive intestinal peptide, substance P, nitric oxide synthase and neurofilament proteins immunohistochemistry. The mucous plexus of both large and small intestine contained ganglia and isolated neurons. They were many and comparably larger in the caecum and colon, few in the ileum, and fewer and smaller in the jejunum. The mucous plexus was subdivided into the lamina muscularis mucosae and lamina proprial subplexuses, and based on location the latter was subdivided further in order to clarify their variations with respect to the amount, sizes and shapes of ganglia and neurons, sizes and orientation of nerve strands and immunoreactivities. Ganglia were situated at different topographical levels in the lamina muscularis mucosae subplexus, outer proprial and interglandular proprial meshworks in the lamina proprial subplexus with the majority of ganglia occurring in the outer proprial meshwork. The mucous plexus in the intestine of the pig is thus a ganglionated plexus showing marked segmental variation in the amount of intramucosal ganglia and isolated nerve cells. These new observations, calls for a re-examination of the mucous plexus to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of importance in mucosal functions and consideration of the mucous plexus in the intestine of the pig to be one of the major ganglionated plexuses.     

Intrinsic innervation of the ileocaecal junction in the horse: Preliminary study

Reason for performing study: In horses, morpho‐functional studies related to the enteric nervous system (ENS) controlling the sphincters are lacking. Objectives: To investigate immunohistochemically the morphology, distribution, density, phenotypes and projections of neurons controlling the ileocaecal junction (ICJ). Methods: Two young horses were anaesthetised and underwent midline laparotomy. The neuronal retrograde fluorescent tracer Fast Blue (FB) was injected into the wall of the ICJ. A post surgical survival time of 30 days was used. Following euthanasia, the ileum and a small portion of caecum were removed. Cryosections were used to investigate the immunoreactivity (IR) of the neurons innervating the ICJ for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), substance P (SP), calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) and neurofilament NF200kDa (NF). Results: Ileal FB‐labelled neurons innervating the ICJ were located in the myenteric plexus (MP) and submucosal plexus (SMP) up to 48 cm and 28 cm, respectively, from the point of the FB injections. Descending MP and SMP neurons were nitrergic (54 ± 11% and 68 ± 4%, respectively), cholinergic (60 ± 19% and 82 ± 11%, respectively), NF‐IR (54 ± 9% and 78 ± 21%, respectively), and SP‐IR (about 20% in both the plexuses). CGRP‐IR was expressed only by SMP descending neurons (45 ± 21%). In both the plexuses descending neurons coexpressing nNOS‐and ChAT‐IR were also observed (25 ± 11% and 61 ± 27%, respectively). Conclusions: The presence of ileal long projecting neurons innervating the ICJ suggests that they are critical for its modulation. Consequently, in bowel diseases in which the resection of the terminal jejunum and proximal ileum are required, it is preferable, whenever possible, to conserve the major portion of the ileum. Potential relevance: The knowledge of the phenotype of ENS neurons of the ileum might be helpful for developing pharmaceutical treatment of the ICJ motility disorders.     

GAL‐ and VIP‐Immunoreactive Nerve Structures in the Ileum and Large Intestine of Pigs with Dysentery

The morphology, neurochemistry and function of intramural nerve structures in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract are relatively well known, but in normal, healthy individuals. The present study was aimed at investigating the chemical coding of nerve structures in the wall of the ileum and large intestine in normal pigs (n = 3) and in pigs undergoing dysentery (n = 6). Dysentery was evoked by artificial infection of the clinically healthy animals per os with Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. All the animals were deeply anaesthetized and transcardially perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde. The cryostat sections of the intestines were processed for double‐labelling immunohistochemistry using antisera against PGP 9.5, GAL and VIP. In the intramural plexuses of the control pigs, the percentage of GAL‐immunoreactive (GAL‐IR) perykarya varied from 11% (descending colon) to 19% (centrifugal turns of the ascending colon) whereas in the dysenteric pigs, it was distinctly higher, reaching from 28% (ileum) up to 48% (cecum). In the control animals, the percentage of VIP‐IR neuronal somata varied from 3% (descending colon) to 19% (ileum). In dysenteric pigs, it was from 6% (descending colon) up to 28% (cecum). In the muscular coat (MC) and mucous membrane (MM) of the normal intestine, very numerous GAL‐ and VIP‐IR nerve fibres were observed. The nerve fibres in the myenteric plexus (MP) were even more numerous than those in the muscular coat while in the outer (OSP) and inner (ISP) submucous plexuses, they were less abundant. In the dysenteric pigs, the nerve fibres found in MC, MP and OSP were less numerous, whereas those observed in ISP and MM were more abundant than those in the control animals. The present results suggest that GAL and VIP are involved in the regulation of inflammatory processes developing in the porcine gastrointestinal tract during dysentery.     

The intermesenteric plexus in the pigeon (Columba livia GM)

Using the thiocholine method and histological techniques the intermesenteric plexus of the pigeon was studied. The intermesenteric plexus of this species is a plexo-ganglionic structure with several (five to seven) ganglia and nerve fibres. The ganglia have an oval-, spindle- or star-like shape. Single nerve cells along the nerve fibres were observed. The intermesenteric plexus of the pigeon is situated on the ventrolateral surface of the aorta, between the cranial mesenteric artery and caudal mesenteric artery. The connections between the intermesenteric and other vegetative plexuses (coeliac plexus, mesenteric inferior plexus) and the pelvic nerve were observed.     

胶质纤维酸性蛋白在黄羽肉鸡肠道中的分布研究

本研究旨在探究胶质纤维酸性蛋白（glial fibrillary acidic protein,GFAP）在黄羽肉鸡肠道中的分布规律。使用免疫组织化学SABC-AP法,观察鸡肠道中GFAP的分布规律。结果显示,GFAP在鸡小肠黏膜上皮、小肠腺细胞腔面、小肠黏膜下神经丛和肌间神经丛及其血管壁周围均呈强阳性表达,在黏膜固有膜上呈阳性表达;GFAP在鸡大肠黏膜上皮、大肠腺中呈阳性表达,在大肠黏膜下神经丛和肌间神经丛均呈强阳性表达。GFAP是肠神经胶质细胞的特异性标记物之一,观察其在鸡肠道的分布特征有助于阐明肠神经胶质细胞在肠道各段的分布规律,为研究鸡肠神经胶质细胞的功能提供形态学依据。