title: The relationship between myenteric neuronal denervation, smooth muscle thickening and epithelial cell proliferation in the rat colon.
abstract: The effects of myenteric neuronal denervation on smooth muscle thickening and epithelial cell proliferation were studied in the descending colon of rats treated by serosal application of 2 mM benzalkonium chloride (BAC) for 30 min. Control animals were treated with saline (0.9% NaCl). The animals were divided into six groups of 13 animals each and killed 10, 45 and 120 days after BAC treatment. A significant reduction in neuron number was observed in the myenteric plexus of animals treated with BAC, as well as smooth muscle thickening and an increase in crypt cell population, crypt cell production per crypt and a decrease in cell cycle time. These findings permit us to conclude that a relationship may exist between the increase of epithelial cell proliferation, smooth muscle thickening and myenteric neuron denervation in the descending colon caused by BAC, the latter probably playing an important role in the integration of the other two.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zucoloto
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: de Deus
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Muglia
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kajiwara
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017763:Autonomic Denervation; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003106:Colon / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation*; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds