Peptide-containing neurons in different regions of the submucous plexus of human sigmoid colon.
Specimens of the sigmoid colon were obtained from male and female patients (n = 11) with carcinoma of the colon or rectum and studied immunohistochemically for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-, somatostatin-, substance P-, neuropeptide Y-, calcitonin gene-related peptide-, met- and leu-enkephalin-, 5-hydroxytryptamine-, and dopamine beta-hydroxylase-containing nerves. In the subdivisions of the submucous plexus (namely, Schabadasch's, Meissner's, and the intermediate plexuses), substance P- and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive nerve fibers were the most numerous, and equal densities of these nerves were found in all three layers. In contrast, few neuropeptide Y-, met-enkephalin-, leu-enkephalin-, calcitonin gene-related peptide-, somatostatin-, 5-hydroxytryptamine-, and dopamine beta-hydroxylase-immunoreactive nerves were found in these regions. The nerve cell bodies of the submucous plexus contained vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, substance P, leu-enkephalin, somatostatin, and 5-hydroxytryptamine but not neuropeptide Y, met-enkephalin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and dopamine beta-hydroxylase. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-containing nerve cell bodies were found in all three subdivisions. Substance P-, leu-enkephalin-, and somatostatin-immunoreactive nerve cell bodies were found in Schabadasch's plexus and the intermediate region of the submucous plexus, but they were absent from Meissner's plexus; 5-hydroxytryptamine-containing nerve cell bodies were only observed in Schabadasch's plexus. The possible function of the neuropeptide-, dopamine beta-hydroxylase-, and 5-hydroxytryptamine-containing neurons in the different layers of the submucous plexus is discussed.
Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, England.
R
R
Crowe
M A
MA
Kamm
G
G
Burnstock
J E
JE
Lennard-Jones
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000294:innervation*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000032:analysis; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000032:analysis; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis; D013368:Submucous Plexus / Q000166:cytology*; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis
D004745:Enkephalins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012701:Serotonin; D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D013004:Somatostatin; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide