title: Regenerative capacity of the enteric nervous system: is immaturity defining the point of no return?
abstract: Intestinal obstruction in newborns is associated with intestinal motility disorders after surgery. Alterations in the enteric nervous system (ENS) might cause abnormal peristalsis, which may then result in intestinal motility disorders. We aimed to quantify alterations in the myenteric plexus after a ligation and to test if these alterations were reversible.
  
  
  
  Small intestines of chicken embryos were ligated in ovo at embryonic day (ED) 11 for either 4 d (ED 11-15) or 8 d (ED 11-19). Both treated groups and control group were sacrificed and intestinal segments examined by means of both light and electron microscopy.
  
  
  
  The number of proximal myenteric ganglia increased (ED 19, 30.7 ± 3.16 versus 23.1 ± 2.03; P < 0.001) in the 8-d ligature group but had values similar to the control group in the 4-d ligature group. The size distribution was skewed toward small ganglia in the 8-d ligature group (ED 19, 83.71 ± 11.60% versus 3.88 ± 4.74% in the control group; P < 0.001) but comparable with the control group in the 4-d ligature group. Subcellular alterations in the 4-d ligature group were reversible.
  
  
  
  The pathologic alterations in the ENS were fully reversible in the 4-d ligature group. This reversibility might be linked to the degree of immaturity of the ENS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: c.oetzmann@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Christina Oetzmann
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: von Sochaczewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wenke
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grieve
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Westgarth-Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jerome A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Loveland
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kluth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009416:Nerve Regeneration
keywords: Chicken model; Embryonal intervention; Enteric nervous system; Immaturity; Small bowel obstruction