Development of the enteric nervous system and its role in intestinal motility during fetal and early postnatal stages.
Motility patterns in the mature intestine require the coordinated interaction of enteric neurons, gastrointestinal smooth muscle, and interstitial cells of Cajal. In Hirschsprung's disease, the aganglionic segment causes functional obstruction, and thus the enteric nervous system (ENS) is essential for gastrointestinal motility after birth. Here we review the development of the ENS. We then focus on motility patterns in the small intestine and colon of fetal mice and larval zebrafish, where recent studies have shown that the first intestinal motility patterns are not neurally mediated. Finally, we review the development of gastrointestinal motility in humans.
Neural Development Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom.
Alan J
AJ
Burns
Rachael R
RR
Roberts
Joel C
JC
Bornstein
Heather M
HM
Young
D000818:Animals; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000196:embryology; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000196:embryology; D015027:Zebrafish