Physiological mechanical stimulation activates isolated myenteric neurons

Abstract

The enteric nervous system contains neurons that are able to regulate and control gastrointestinal functions at a local level independently from the central nervous system. The myenteric plexus is sandwiched between the longitudinal and circular muscle layer and therefore strategically well-suited to encode transient or sustained muscle contraction or relaxation that occur during tonic or phasic motor activity. We aimed to study the mechanosensitive properties of myenteric neurons by applying stimuli that mimic their physiological deformation during musle activity.