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Peptide-containing innervation of the human intestinal mucosa

An immunocytochemical study on whole-mount preparations

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Summary

The three-dimensional distribution of the peptide-containing invervation in the human intestinal mucosa was studied by fluorescence immunohistochemistry on whole-mount mucosal preparations. An extensive VIP-immunoreactive nerve supply was demonstrated at all levels, but was markedly increased in density in the distal intestine, where it formed a particularly rich network in close contact with the luminal epithelium. In contrast, substance P-containing nerve fibres formed a looser and evenly distributed innervation at all levels. The muscularis mucosae was richly supplied by VIP-and substance P-containing fibres. Met-enkephalin immunoreactivity was confined to a few scattered nerve bundles running in the muscularis mucosae and around the bottom of epithelial crypts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Histochemistry, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W12, London, UK

    G. -L. Ferri & J. M. Polak

  2. Department of Medicine, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W12, London, UK

    S. R. Bloom

  3. Department of Medicine 1, University of Bologna, Italy

    P. L. Botti & P. Vezzadini

  4. Department of Surgery 1, University of Florence, Italy

    G. Biliotti

Authors
  1. G. -L. Ferri
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  2. P. L. Botti
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  3. P. Vezzadini
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  4. G. Biliotti
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  5. S. R. Bloom
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  6. J. M. Polak
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Additional information

G.-L.F. is a Research Fellow from the Department of Medicine 1, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, supported by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (European Science Exchange Programme with the Royal Society)

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Ferri, G.L., Botti, P.L., Vezzadini, P. et al. Peptide-containing innervation of the human intestinal mucosa. Histochemistry 76, 413–420 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00543961

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