Ileal VIP submucous neurons: confocal study of the area enlargement induced by myenteric denervation in weanling rats

• Published in: Regulatory peptides Vol. 117; no. 1; pp. 69 - 72
• Main Authors: Hernandes, L., Gama, P., Alvares, E.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 15-01-2004; Amsterdam Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Suckling; Benzalkonium Compounds - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Division; Cell proliferation; Denervation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Ileum - cytology; Ileum - innervation; Ileum - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry; Immunohistoquemistry; Microscopy, Confocal; Myenteric Plexus - cytology; Myenteric Plexus - metabolism; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - metabolism; Neuropeptides; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Suckling rats; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide - metabolism; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Weaning; Cell proliferation; Neuropeptides; Immunohistoquemistry; Suckling rats; Suckling; Rat; Digestive system; Rodentia; Suckling animal; Small intestine; Ileum; Neuropeptide; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Neuron; Vasoactive intestinal peptide; Denervation
• ISSN: 0167-0115; 1873-1686
• DOI: 10.1016/j.regpep.2003.10.006

Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) neurons are maturing during suckling and weaning periods and the neuropeptide VIP is thought to be neurotrophic during ontogenesis. We have previously demonstrated that suckling rats with myenteric ablation have significantly higher mitotic index and an increase on villus height and crypt depth 15 days after treatment. In the current study, we measured the area of VIP neurons of submucous plexus in the ileum of weanling rats, in which myenteric neurons were ablated by serosal application of benzalkonium chloride (BAC). The area of VIP immunoreactive cell bodies, reconstructed under confocal microscope, was significantly increased in response to denervation. This result suggests that the myenteric plexus may have an inhibitory role over submucous plexus in the normal intestine. The enhanced production of VIP may be correlated with the increased epithelial proliferation induced by denervation in a critical period of life, from suckling to weaning time.