Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
10:32
In Vitro Recording of Mesenteric Afferent Nerve Activity in Mouse Jejunal and Colonic Segments
Published on: October 25, 2016
Human visceral afferent recordings: preliminary report
Madusha Peiris1, David C Bulmer, Mark D Baker
1Neurogastroenterology Group, Centre for Digestive Diseases, Blizard Institute of Cellular and Molecular Science, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University London, London, UK.
Gut
|October 30, 2010
Summary
Researchers developed a new human gut tissue model to study visceral pain. This model allows for ex vivo nerve recordings and stimulation, aiding in disease research and drug testing for chronic pain conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Chronic visceral pain poses a significant healthcare challenge.
- Existing animal models for visceral nociception have not yielded effective human treatments.
- Limited therapeutic options exist for conditions involving visceral pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish an in vitro afferent nerve preparation from human colon and appendix tissues.
- To investigate human visceral nociception using freshly isolated tissues.
- To create a model for studying neuronal responses in the human gut.
Main Methods:
- Human appendix (n=18) and colon (n=9) tissues were surgically excised.
- Electrophysiological recordings were performed on mesenteric nerves.
- Tissues were subjected to chemical and mechanical stimulation.
Main Results:
- Baseline neuronal activity in colon and appendix tissues was sparse.
- Appendix afferent nerves showed significant responses to inflammatory mediators and capsaicin.
- Colon afferent nerves responded to mechanical probing of the serosal surface.
Conclusions:
- This study demonstrates the feasibility of ex vivo human gut afferent nerve recordings.
- The developed in vitro model allows for chemical and mechanical stimulation of neuronal responses.
- This human tissue model shows promise for future visceral pain mechanistic studies and drug development.
