Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2026

Immunostaining to Visualize Murine Enteric Nervous System Development
Published on: April 29, 2015
[Bcl-2 expression in enteric neurons of Hirschsprung's disease and its significance]
Ying Song1, Ji Cheng Li, Ming Ju Li
1Institute of Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031.
Abstract:
The bcl-2 protein, which widely expressed in the developing central and peripheral nervous systems, has the functional role of blocking apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to map bcl-2 expression in the human enteric nervous system and investigate the value of bcl-2 immunohistochemical method in the diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease (HD), as this has not previously been done. Rectal specimens were obtained from definitive operation of 20 patients with HD. Specimens were analyzed with immunohistochemical methods, using antibodies against bcl-2. The bcl-2 protein was expressed in myenteric and submucous neurons in normal adult and HD expand segment, but no bcl-2 immunoreactive enteric neurons was revealed in the narrow segment. And nerve fibers of the enteric plexuses that were bcl-2 immunoreactive were few in all examined specimens. From the conclusion, expression of bcl-2 is displayed in enteric neurons and immunohistochemical analysis of bcl-2 may also be valuable for identification of the enteric neurons in HD.
Related Concept Videos
Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by transmural...
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Ulcerative Colitis
