title: Megacolon in rats.
abstract: Four months of sigmoid colon intrinsic denervation of young male Wistar rats resulted in typical megacolon. Average 46.0% denervation of the Auerbach plexus was obtained by serosal application of benzalkonium chloride (0.2% v/v). Denervation was assessed by ganglion cell counts in a 480-nm extension of the treated segment. Increased thickness of the megacolon wall was due to muscle hypertrophy (+117.4%) and mucosal hyperplasia (+53.9%) as shown by morphometry. The potential usefulness of this experimental model is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Llorach-Velludo
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Sales-Neto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000209:etiology*; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D008532:Megacolon, Toxic / Q000209:etiology*; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical
chemical_list: D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds