Enteric Neuroscience Laboratory
Introduction to the Enteric Nervous System (ENS)
The ENS is contained within the wall of the gastrointestinal tract and is part of the autonomic nervous system. It comprises a complex network of interconnected nerve cells which are contained in two ganglionated plexuses: the myenteric plexus and the submucosal plexus. Each plexus has a different primary function.
The myenteric plexus controls intestinal motor patterns (peristalsis and segmentation). Peristalsis moves material along the intestine, while segmentation mixes digested material to assist with absorption of nutrients. The submucosal plexus controls the absorption and secretion of fluid and electrolytes across the intestinal mucosa.
The ENS can operate independently of any connections with the Central Nervous System (CNS) which makes it an ideal model to study neural networks in vitro. In addition, many neurotransmitters are found in both the CNS and the ENS, thus studies of transmitters and receptors in the ENS can have implications for the CNS and vice versa.
We use a range of techniques to study the physiology and anatomy of the ENS, to gain a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying intestinal functions. These techniques include electrophysiology, organ bath pharmacology, immunohistochemistry, and functional studies using video imaging of intestinal motility and/or preparations designed to investigate intestinal reflexes.
Current projects include:
- The effect of enterotoxins on gut motility and secretion
- Characterisation of fed-state motility patterns
- Synaptic transmission and transmitters in the enteric nervous system
- Nociceptive transmission from the gastrointestinal tract
- Development of enteric motility patterns
- Effects of intestinal inflammation on the enteric nervous system
- Modelling enteric reflex circuits
Experimental techniques:
- Intracellular recording
- Extracellular recording
- Video imaging and mathematical analysis
- Whole organ pharmacology
- Immunohistochemistry
- Retrograde labelling
- Mathematical and computational modelling
This image shows two different morphological types of myenteric neuron (red staining). The neurons were injected with biocytin during electrophysiological recordings and visualised using a fluorescence microscope after histological processing. Dogiel type I neurons are uniaxonal and have several short dendrites (A). Dogiel type II neurons have smooth cell bodies and multiple axons (B).
This is a series of confocal microscope images taken through a single neuron from guinea pig myenteric plexus. The neuron is immunoreactive (red staining) for Neuropeptide Y (NPY). The green staining is demonstrating how terminals with serotonin (5-HT) immunoreactivity wrap around this NPY neuron.