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Immunostaining to Visualize Murine Enteric Nervous System Development
Published on: April 29, 2015
Idiopathic constipation is not associated with increased NCAM expression on intestinal muscle
H M Romanska1, A E Bishop, J C Lee
1Department of Histochemistry, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
Digestive Diseases and Sciences
|July 1, 1996
Summary
Increased neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) expression in aganglionic bowel is specific to Hirschsprung
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Previous studies indicated elevated neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in childhood Hirschsprung's disease.
- This elevation was observed specifically in the aganglionic bowel's intestinal muscle, particularly the muscularis mucosae.
Purpose of the Study:
- To ascertain if increased NCAM expression is characteristic of congenital aganglionosis.
- To differentiate this finding from a nonspecific response to chronic constipation.
Main Methods:
- Immunocytochemistry was employed to analyze NCAM and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) expression.
- Bowel specimens from six adult patients with idiopathic long-standing constipation were examined.
Main Results:
- In adult constipated bowel samples, NCAM expression patterns mirrored those in control subjects.
- No NCAM expression was detected on muscle tissue in any of the studied constipated specimens.
Conclusions:
- The heightened NCAM expression in gastrointestinal smooth muscle is likely linked to abnormal innervation in congenital aganglionosis.
- This finding suggests NCAM elevation is not a general feature of constipation but specific to conditions like Hirschsprung's disease.
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