Cutting-edge technology. III. Imaging and the gastrointestinal tract: mapping the human enteric nervous system.
Monitoring membrane potentials by multisite optical recording techniques using voltage-sensitive dyes is ideal for direct analysis of network signaling. We applied this technology to monitor fast and slow excitability changes in the enteric nervous system and in hundreds of neurons simultaneously at cellular and subcellular resolution. This imaging technique presents a powerful tool to study activity patterns in enteric pathways and to assess differential activation of nerves in the gut to a number of stimuli that modulate neuronal activity directly or through synaptic mechanisms. The optical mapping made it possible to record from tissues such as human enteric nerves, which were, until now, inaccessible by other techniques.
Schemann
Michael
M
Department of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, D-30173 Hannover, Germany. Michael.Schemann@tiho-hannover.de
Michel
Klaus
K
Peters
Saskia
S
Bischoff
Stephan C
SC
Neunlist
Michel
M
D004064:Digestive System / Q000294:innervation*; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000639:trends*; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000639:trends*