Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 22, 2026

In Vitro Recording of Mesenteric Afferent Nerve Activity in Mouse Jejunal and Colonic Segments
Published on: October 25, 2016
The enteric nervous system in patients with calculous and acalculous gallbladder
Vincenzo Villanacci1, Rachele Del Sordo2, Marianna Salemme1
1Pathology Section, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Perugia, Italy.
Background:
It is generally thought that gallbladder motility plays a more or less important role in the pathogenesis of gallstones. Some studies have shown that some abnormalities of its intrinsic innervations, but these studies were usually limited to one cell component.
Aims:
We investigated the main cell components of gallbladder intrinsic innervation in patients with and without gallstones.
Methods:
Archival gallbladder specimens from 39 patients, 27 with gallstones (age range 45-69 yrs) and 12 patients without gallstones (age range 39-71 yrs) were obtained. Full thickness sections were obtained from the gallbladder neck and immunohistochemistry was carried out for enteric neurons (neuron-specific enolase and calretinin), enteric glia (S100) and interstitial cells of Cajal (CD117 and CD34); tryptase staining was also done to distinguish the latter from mast cells.
Results:
Apart from calretinin-positive neurons, patients with gallstones featured a significant decrease of neurons, enteric glial cells (EGC) and mast cells compared to those without gallstones; interstitial cells of Cajal were extremely few and only found in two patients, one for each group.
Conclusions:
The intrinsic innervations of the gallbladder is abnormal in gallstone patients, and this may contribute to gallstone formation in these subjects.
More Related Videos
03:27The Role of Indocyanine Green Fluorescence in Complex Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Navigation
Published on: January 31, 2025
08:07Author Spotlight: Isolation and Characterization of Equine Submucosal Enteric Glia — Implications for Preventing Postoperative Complications in Colic Surgery
Published on: October 4, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Nerve Supply of the GI Tract
The enteric nervous system consists of two major plexuses: the myenteric plexus (Auerbach's plexus) and the submucosal plexus (Meissner's plexus). These plexuses are located within the layers of...
Neural Regulation
Enteric Nervous System: Regulation of GI Motor Activity
During periods of fasting, the ENS initiates the migrating myoelectric complex, a...
Gallbladder
The gallbladder's anatomy consists of three regions: the fundus, body, and neck. Extending from the neck, the cystic duct joins...
Pathophysiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease: Injurious Factors
In the antrum region, G cells secrete the gastrin hormone that binds to gastrin-cholecystokinin-B (CCK2) receptors on parietal and enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in the fundic glands. Simultaneously, the vagus nerve releases acetylcholine, which binds...
Parasympathetic Signaling
The effects of...