Heanue Tiffany A, Pachnis Vassilis
Division of Molecular Neurobiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK.
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2007 Jun;8(6):466-79. doi: 10.1038/nrn2137.
The enteric nervous system (ENS) has been explored by developmental neurobiologists and medical researchers for decades. Whereas developmental biologists have been unravelling the molecular mechanisms underlying the migration, proliferation and differentiation of the neural crest derivatives that give rise to the ENS, human geneticists have been uncovering the genetic basis for diseases of the ENS, notably Hirschsprung's disease. Here we discuss the exciting recent advances, including novel transgenic and genetic tools, a broadening range of model organisms, and the pursuit of ENS stem cells as a therapeutic tool, that are bringing these fields closer together.
数十年来，发育神经生物学家和医学研究人员一直在探索肠神经系统（ENS）。发育生物学家一直在揭示神经嵴衍生物迁移、增殖和分化的分子机制，这些衍生物产生了肠神经系统；而人类遗传学家一直在揭示肠神经系统疾病的遗传基础，尤其是先天性巨结肠症。在此，我们讨论近期令人兴奋的进展，包括新型转基因和遗传工具、越来越多的模式生物，以及将肠神经系统干细胞作为治疗工具的探索，这些进展正使这些领域的联系更加紧密。
