title: Neurogenic and myogenic properties of pan-colonic motor patterns and their spatiotemporal organization in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Better understanding of intrinsic control mechanisms of colonic motility will lead to better treatment options for colonic dysmotility. The aim was to investigate neurogenic and myogenic control mechanisms underlying pan-colonic motor patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of in vitro video recordings of whole rat colon motility was used to explore motor patterns and their spatiotemporal organizations and to identify mechanisms of neurogenic and myogenic control using pharmacological tools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study of the pan-colonic spatiotemporal organization of motor patterns revealed: fluid-induced or spontaneous rhythmic propulsive long distance contractions (LDCs, 0.4-1.5/min, involving the whole colon), rhythmic propulsive motor complexes (RPMCs) (0.8-2.5/min, dominant in distal colon), ripples (10-14/min, dominant in proximal colon), segmentation and retrograde contractions (0.1-0.8/min, prominent in distal and mid colon). Spontaneous rhythmic LDCs were the dominant pattern, blocked by tetrodotoxin, lidocaine or blockers of cholinergic, nitrergic or serotonergic pathways. Change from propulsion to segmentation and distal retrograde contractions was most prominent after blocking 5-HT3 receptors. In the presence of all neural blockers, bethanechol consistently evoked rhythmic LDC-like propulsive contractions in the same frequency range as the LDCs, indicating the existence of myogenic mechanisms of initiation and propulsion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neurogenic and myogenic control systems orchestrate distinct and variable motor patterns at different regions of the pan-colon. Cholinergic, nitrergic and serotonergic pathways are essential for rhythmic LDCs to develop. Rhythmic motor patterns in presence of neural blockade indicate the involvement of myogenic control systems and suggest a role for the networks of interstitial cells of Cajal as pacemakers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University and Wuhan University Institute of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China. chenjihong2@medmail.com.cn
authors.forename: Ji-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuanjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Kongling
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Longying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Xinghai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Sifeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Qingmin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Xiangdong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Hesheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Huizinga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010507:Periodicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis