Peptide-containing innervation of the human intestinal mucosa. An immunocytochemical study on whole-mount preparations.
The three-dimensional distribution of the peptide-containing innervation in the human intestinal mucosa was studied by fluorescence immunohistochemistry on whole-mount mucosal preparations. An extensive VIP-immunoreactive nerve supply was demonstrated at all levels, but was markedly increased in density in the distal intestine, where it formed a particularly rich network in close contact with the luminal epithelium. In contrast, substance P-containing nerve fibres formed a looser and evenly distributed innervation at all levels. The muscularis mucosae was richly supplied by VIP- and substance P-containing fibres. Met-enkephalin immunoreactivity was confined to a few scattered nerve bundles running in the muscularis mucosae and around the bottom of epithelial crypts.
D000818:Animals; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000032:analysis; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000032:analysis / Q000294:innervation*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine / Q000276:immunology; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis
D010455:Peptides; D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine