Abstract
Neurons of the enteric nervous system (ENS) may undergo changes during maturation and aging, but knowledge of physiological stimuli-dependent changes in the ENS is still fragmentary. On the other hand, the frequency of many ENS-related intestinal illnesses depends on age and/or sex. The double immunofluorescence technique was used to study the influence of both of these factors on calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)—positive enteric nervous structures—in the descending colon in young and adult female and castrated male pigs. The influence of age and gender on the number and neurochemical characterization (i.e., co-localization of CGRP with substance P, nitric oxide synthase, galanin, cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide and vesicular acetylcholine transporter) of CGRP-positive nerve structures in the colonic wall has been shown. These observations strongly suggest the participation of CGRP in adaptive processes in the ENS during GI tract maturation. Moreover, although the castration of males may mask some aspects of sex-dependent influences on the ENS, the sex-specific differences in CGRP-positive nervous structures were mainly visible in adult animals. This may suggest that the distribution and exact role of this substance in the ENS depend on the sex hormones.
Highlights
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is responsible for the intrinsic innervation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract
In the small and large intestines, the submucous plexus is divided into the outer submucous plexus (OSP) and inner submucous plexus (ISP), which are placed in the submucosal layer: the OSP near the inner side of the circular muscle layer and the ISP near the lamina propria of the mucosa [3,4,5]
The present study has shown that the degree of co-localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) with the majority of substances studied in the colonic enteric neurons is lower in adult animals
Summary
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is responsible for the intrinsic innervation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It is situated in the wall of the entire digestive tract, from the esophagus to the rectum. In the esophagus and stomach, the enteric neurons of large mammals (e.g., pigs) are grouped into two ganglionated plexuses: the myenteric plexus (MP)—located between longitudinal and circular muscle layers and the submucous plexus placed near the lamina propria of the mucosal layer. In the small and large intestines, the submucous plexus is divided into the outer submucous plexus (OSP) and inner submucous plexus (ISP), which are placed in the submucosal layer: the OSP near the inner side of the circular muscle layer and the ISP near the lamina propria of the mucosa [3,4,5]
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