Faculty Collaboration Database

The target specificity of the extrinsic innervation of the rat small intestine. J Auton Nerv Syst 1991 Jan;32(1):53-62

Date

01/01/1991

Pubmed ID

2022822

DOI

10.1016/0165-1838(91)90235-u

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0026053882 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   16 Citations

Abstract

The target specificity of the extrinsic innervation of the rat small intestine was examined by simultaneously injecting the proximal and distal small intestine with either wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or fast blue. The number of single- and double-labeled cells in the nodose, dorsal root and coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglia and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus were counted and expressed as percentages of total labeled cells. Cells containing both HRP and Fast blue projected to both regions of the intestine. We found that the nodose and mesenteric ganglia contained significantly fewer double-labeled neurons (approximately 3 and 9% respectively) than the dorsal motor nucleus (19%) or dorsal root ganglion (20%). Presumably, a large number of double-labeled afferent or efferent neurons would limit the ability of a given component of the extrinsic innervation to control the activity of restricted regions of the small intestine (but might be important in overall regulation of intestinal function). In a separate series of experiments we examined the topography of neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus labeled with HRP injection into either the proximal or distal small intestine. Both of these injections labeled neurons in the entire rostro-caudal extent of the nucleus, though approximately 75% of the cells were located between 720 microns caudal and 720 microns rostral to the obex. Cells in the rostral regions were found primarily in the lateral pole of the nucleus, whereas caudal regions contained labeled cells in both the medial and lateral poles.

Author List

Zhang XG, Fogel R, Simpson P, Renehan W

Author

Pippa M. Simpson PhD Adjunct Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Abdomen
Amidines
Animals
Fluorescent Dyes
Horseradish Peroxidase
Intestine, Small
Male
Nervous System
Nervous System Physiological Phenomena
Neurons
Rats
Rats, Inbred Strains
Vagus Nerve