title: Distribution of NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons in the enteric nervous system of the human colon.
abstract: Recent investigations have demonstrated the colonization of NOS-immunoreactivity and NADPH-diaphorase staining in central and peripheral neurons. The current study investigates the presence and distribution of NADPH-diaphorase-stained nerve cells and fibres in whole-mount preparations of the enteric nervous system of the human colon. Numerous NADPH-diaphorase-stained nerve cell bodies were found in the plexus myentericus and in the plexus submucosus externus. In contrast, we found but very few NADPH-diaphorase-stained nerve cells in the plexus submucosus internus. The majority of the NADPH-diaphorase-stained nerve cells had morphological characteristics similar to those of the Dogiel type I neuron, i.e. possessing broad flat dendrites and one major axonal projection. NADPH-diaphorase-stained nerve fibres can be observed in all three ganglionic networks and in the aganglionic plexus of the circular muscle layer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Medical University of Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Krammer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kühnel
mesh_terms: D003106:Colon / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000294:innervation; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase