title: Video Imaging and Spatiotemporal Maps to Analyze Gastrointestinal Motility in Mice.
abstract: The enteric nervous system (ENS) plays an important role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility and can function independently of the central nervous system. Changes in ENS function are a major cause of GI symptoms and disease and may contribute to GI symptoms reported in neuropsychiatric disorders including autism. It is well established that isolated colon segments generate spontaneous, rhythmic contractions known as Colonic Migrating Motor Complexes (CMMCs). A procedure to analyze the enteric neural regulation of CMMCs in ex vivo preparations of mouse colon is described. The colon is dissected from the animal and flushed to remove fecal content prior to being cannulated in an organ bath. Data is acquired via a video camera positioned above the organ bath and converted to high-resolution spatiotemporal maps via an in-house software package. Using this technique, baseline contractile patterns and pharmacological effects on ENS function in colon segments can be compared over 3-4 hr. In addition, propagation length and speed of CMMCs can be recorded as well as changes in gut diameter and contraction frequency. This technique is useful for characterizing gastrointestinal motility patterns in transgenic mouse models (and in other species including rat and guinea pig). In this way, pharmacologically induced changes in CMMCs are recorded in wild type mice and in the Neuroligin-3(R451C) mouse model of autism. Furthermore, this technique can be applied to other regions of the GI tract including the duodenum, jejunum and ileum and at different developmental ages in mice.
authors: Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne.
authors: Mathusi
authors: M
authors: Swaminathan
authors: Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne.
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Hill-Yardin
authors: Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne.
authors: Melina
authors: M
authors: Ellis
authors: Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne.
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Zygorodimos
authors: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne.
authors: Leigh A
authors: LA
authors: Johnston
authors: Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne.
authors: Rachel M
authors: RM
authors: Gwynne
authors: Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne; j.bornstein@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Joel C
authors: JC
authors: Bornstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D007082:Ileum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016065:Myoelectric Complex, Migrating / Q000502:physiology*