Sequential pattern of nerve-muscle contacts in the small intestine of developing human fetus. An ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study

• Fekete, Eva ^[3] ; Benedeczky, I. ^[3] ; Timmermans, J.P. ^[1] ; Resch, B.A. ^[2] ; Scheuermann, D.V. ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Antwerp

     University of Antwerp

     Arrondissement Antwerpen, Bélgica

     
  2. [2] Institute for Veterinary Medical Research

     Institute for Veterinary Medical Research

     Hungría

     
  3. [3] Department of Zoology and Cell Biology, Jozsef Attila University, Szeged, Hungary

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• Localización: Histology and histopathology: cellular and molecular biology, ISSN-e 1699-5848, ISSN 0213-3911, Vol. 11, Nº. 4, 1996, págs. 845-850
• Idioma: inglés
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  • The developing enteric nervous system of the human fetus has been studied by means of electron microscopy and neuron-specific enolase immunocytochemistry between the 10th and 26th week of gestation, with special reference to the development of nervemuscle contacts. In the 10th week of gestation the circular muscle layer is formed, followed by the appearance of a primitive myenteric plexus, and the longitudinal smooth muscle layer in the 12th week of gestation. Adherens-type junctions between the smooth muscle cells and the elements of the myenteric plexus, interdigitation of nerve and muscle processes, and also contacts without any morphological specialization are frequent until the 18th week, when the mechanical points of attachment are relocated from the circular to the longitudinal muscle layer. By this time the developing myenteric plexus becomes ensheathed by non-neuronal cells, disrupting the direct contacts between smooth muscle cells and the primary strands of the myenteric plexus. The possible functional significance of these changing nerve-muscle contacts is discussed in the present paper.