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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
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An In-vitro Preparation of Isolated Enteric Neurons and Glia from the Myenteric Plexus of the Adult Mouse
Published on: August 7, 2013
Structural and functional components of the feline enteric nervous system
S Kleinschmidt1, I Nolte, M Hewicker-Trautwein
1Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany.
Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia
|June 16, 2011
Summary
This study maps the feline enteric nervous system (ENS) using immunohistochemistry, identifying distinct ganglionated and aganglionated nerve plexuses in healthy cats. It provides the first detailed neurohistological description of the feline ENS.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neuroscience
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
- Immunohistochemistry
Background:
- The enteric nervous system (ENS) controls gastrointestinal function.
- Detailed neurohistological characterization of the feline ENS is lacking.
- Understanding feline ENS is crucial for diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal disorders in cats.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively describe the feline enteric nervous system (ENS) using advanced immunohistochemical techniques.
- To identify and map different types of nerve plexuses within the feline gastrointestinal tract.
- To characterize glial cells and neurotransmitter distribution in the feline ENS.
Main Methods:
- Full-thickness biopsies from the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon of 11 healthy cats were analyzed.
- Immunohistochemistry was employed using antibodies against neuron-specific enolase (NSE), phosphorylated (PN) and non-phosphorylated (NPN) neurofilaments, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP).
Main Results:
- The study identified two distinct ganglionated plexuses (submucosus internus & externus, myentericus) and two aganglionated plexuses (mucosus, subserosal).
- Glial cells (GFAP-positive) were observed in close proximity to enteric neurons, potentially analogous to astrocytes.
- Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a key inhibitory neurotransmitter, showed immunoreactivity throughout the gut layers, particularly in ganglionated plexuses.
Conclusions:
- This research provides the first detailed immunohistochemical description of the feline enteric nervous system (ENS).
- The findings reveal a complex organization of nerve plexuses within the feline gut.
- This study establishes a foundational neuroanatomical reference for feline gastrointestinal research.
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