title: Quantification and morphometry of myenteric neurones in the jejunum of Holtzman rats (Rattus norvegicus).
abstract: With 2 figures and 3 tables
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The morphological pattern of the myenteric plexus (MP) is species-specific, and little is known about this pattern in Holtzman rats. The aim of the current experiment was the morphological and quantitative study of myenteric neurones in the Holtzman rat jejunum. Hematoxylin-Eosin and NADH-diaphorase (NADH-dp) staining were used to assess muscular layer thickness, neurone cell body area (CBA) and nuclei area (NA). Muscular layer thickness was found to be 114.77 ± 14.89 μm. Neuronal densities across the subregions of the jejunum were similar: mesenteric, 11.78 ± 2.89/mm(2) ; intermediate, 12.06 ± 2.69/mm(2) ; and antimesenteric, 10.67 ± 1.89/mm(2) . As expected, there was positive correlation between the CBA and NA of 79.19, 79.26 and 78.5% in the mesenteric, intermediate and antimesenteric subregions of the jejunum, respectively. Medium-sized neurones predominated in the ganglionic arrangement of the MP. These results indicate that the NADH-dp myenteric neurones in the jejunum of Holtzman rats are similar in many aspects to those found in the ileum of Holtzman rats and to those found in the small intestine of Wistar rats, including their location, ganglionic disposition and predominance of medium-sized CBA. However, neuronal density in the jejunum is lower than in the ileum. Based on these results showing morphological similarities to the MP of the Wistar rat, the Holtzman strain can be used to investigate the effects of adverse conditions on the morphology of the MP.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological, Medical and Health Sciences, Paranaense University (UNIPAR), Paranavaí, PR, Brazil.  rebrittomari@hotmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Britto Mari
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Scoz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Melo Germano
authors.forename: J N B
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: De Toledo
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: De Faria
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Stabille
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D007583:Jejunum / Q000294:innervation*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C007409:dihydrolipoamide; D008063:Thioctic Acid