Montedonico Sandra, Sri Paran Thambipillai, Pirker Martina, Rolle Udo, Puri Prem
Children's Research Centre, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Dublin 12, Ireland.
J Pediatr Surg. 2006 May;41(5):1029-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2005.12.063.
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: As our understanding of the enteric nervous system improves, it becomes clear that it is no longer sufficient to simply determine whether enteric ganglion cells are present but also to determine whether correct number and types of ganglion cells are present. Nitric oxide is recognized as a potent mediator of inhibitory nerves responsible for the relaxation of the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to determine the normal nitrergic neuronal density and morphology in the submucosal plexus of the porcine distal bowel from fetal life to adulthood.
Distal large bowel specimens were obtained from porcine fetuses of gestational age E60 (n = 5), E90 (n = 5), 1-day-old piglets (n = 5), 4-week-old piglets (n = 5), 12-week-old piglets (n = 5), and adult pigs (n = 5). Whole-mount preparations of the submucosal plexus were made and stained with NADPH diaphorase histochemistry. The ganglia density, the number of ganglion cells per ganglia, and nucleus and cytoplasmic area were measured.
Ganglia density decreased progressively and markedly with age until the adulthood (P < .001). On the contrary, ganglion cells increased their size over time predominantly because of increase in cytoplasm (P < .001). The number of ganglion cells per ganglia increased significantly during the fetal life. However, there was a significant reduction in the number of ganglion cells per ganglia during the period from birth to 4 weeks, remaining constant thereafter (P < .001).
The quantitative and qualitative morphometric analysis of the colonic submucous plexus shows that significant developmental changes occur during fetal and postnatal life. These findings indicate that the age of the patient is of utmost importance during histopathologic evaluation of enteric nervous system disorders.
背景/目的：随着我们对肠神经系统认识的提高，显而易见的是，仅仅确定肠神经节细胞是否存在已不再足够，还需确定神经节细胞的数量和类型是否正确。一氧化氮被认为是负责胃肠道平滑肌舒张的抑制性神经的强效介质。本研究的目的是确定从胎儿期到成年期猪远端肠段黏膜下丛中正常的含氮能神经元密度和形态。
从妊娠60天（n = 5）、90天（n = 5）的猪胎儿、1日龄仔猪（n = 5）、4周龄仔猪（n = 5）、12周龄仔猪（n = 5）和成年猪（n = 5）获取远端大肠标本。制作黏膜下丛的整装标本，并用NADPH黄递酶组织化学染色。测量神经节密度、每个神经节的神经节细胞数量以及细胞核和细胞质面积。
神经节密度随年龄增长逐渐显著下降，直至成年期（P <.001）。相反，神经节细胞的大小随时间增加，主要是由于细胞质增加（P <.001）。胎儿期每个神经节的神经节细胞数量显著增加。然而，从出生到4周期间每个神经节的神经节细胞数量显著减少，此后保持恒定（P <.001）。
结肠黏膜下丛的定量和定性形态计量分析表明，在胎儿期和出生后生活中发生了显著的发育变化。这些发现表明，在肠神经系统疾病的组织病理学评估中，患者的年龄至关重要。
