In vitro analysis of rat intestinal wall movements at rest and during propagated contraction: a new method.
Intestinal wall motions are not easily studied and are frequently deduced from manometric and electromyographic measurements. This study aimed to establish a method of wall movement analysis based on an automatic technique of image processing. Segments of rat jejunum were fixed in an organ bath under isometric conditions. A real-time edge-detection algorithm was used to find the contours of the intestine using video imaging. After the measurement, a mapping of intestinal wall movements was performed based on diameter variations. In the 260 experiments without stimulation, intestinal wall activity was always detected. Propagated activity was found in 40% of the experiments and periodic wall motion in 60%, with 0.5-Hz activity found more frequently (41%) than 0.24-Hz activity (19%). These cyclic activities, related to intestinal slow waves, had their amplitude decreased by acetylcholine and were modified by vapreotide. Analysis of a propagated wave after cholinergic stimulation showed that it is characterized by an increase of the diameter of the intestine followed by a decrease. Moreover, this methodology allows analysis of the initiation of a propagated wave.
Benard
T
T
Département de Gastro-entérologie, Hôpital Laënnec, Paris, France.
Bouchoucha
M
M
Dupres
M
M
Cugnenc
P H
PH
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000465:Algorithms; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000502:physiology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D014741:Video Recording / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
D000700:Analgesics; C051458:vapreotide; D013004:Somatostatin; D001285:Atropine; D000109:Acetylcholine