ChAT and NOS in human myenteric neurons: co-existence and co-absence.
Cell Tissue Res
; 338(1): 37-51, 2009 Oct.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19711100
ABSTRACT
Most myenteric neurons contain one of the two generating enzymes for major excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Two minor groups of myenteric neurons contain either both enzymes or neither. Our study had two aims:
(1) to compare the proportions of neurons stained for ChAT and/or NOS in human small and large intestinal whole-mounts by co-staining with an antibody against the human neuronal protein Hu C/D (HU); (2) to characterize these neurons morphologically by co-staining with a neurofilament (NF) antibody. In small intestinal whole-mounts co-stained with HU, we counted more ChAT-positive (ChAT+) than NOS+ neurons (52% vs. 38%), whereas the large intestine exhibited fewer ChAT+ than NOS+ neurons (38% vs. 50%). Neurons co-reactive for both ChAT and NOS accounted for about 3% in both regions, whereas neurons negative for both enzymes accounted for 7% in the small intestine and 8% in the large intestine. Co-staining with NF revealed that, in both small and large intestine, ChAT+/NOS+ neurons were either spiny (type I) neurons or displayed smaller perikarya that were weakly or not NF-stained. Of all spiny neurons, almost one third was co-reactive for ChAT and NOS, whereas nearly two thirds were positive only for NOS. Neurons negative for both ChAT and NOS were heterogeneous in size and NF reactivity. Thus, neither the co-existence nor the co-absence of ChAT and NOS in human myenteric neurons is indicative for particular neuron types, with several qualitative and quantitative parameters showing a wide range of interindividual variability.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Colina O-Acetiltransferase
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Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo I
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Plexo Mientérico
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Neurônios
Tipo de estudo:
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Adult
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Aged
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Aged80
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Animals
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Cell Tissue Res
Ano de publicação:
2009
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Alemanha