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Region-specific differences in the human myenteric plexus: an immunohistochemical study using donated elderly cadavers

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International Journal of Colorectal Disease Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose and methods

To identify site-dependent and individual differences in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-positive nerves of the myenteric plexus, we examined full-thickness walls of the stomach, pylorus, duodenum, ileum, colon, and rectum in 7 male and 8 female cadavers (mean ages, 80 and 87 years, respectively).

Results

The areas occupied by nNOS-positive nerve fibers in the myenteric plexus were fragmentary and overlapped with areas occupied by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-positive fibers. The nNOS-positive fiber-containing areas per 1-mm length of intermuscular space tended to be larger at more anal sites, with positive areas four times greater in the rectum than in the stomach. Interindividual differences in rectal areas were extremely large, ranging from 0.017 mm2 in one 80-year-old man to 0.067 mm2 in another 80-year-old man. Similarly, the numbers of nNOS-positive ganglion cell bodies per 1-mm length in the rectum ranged from 4 to 28. These areas and numbers were weakly correlated (r = 0.62; p = 0.02). Interindividual differences in the rectum appeared not to depend on either age or gender.

Conclusions

Anatomic studies using donated cadavers carried the advantage of obtaining any parts of intestine within an individual, in contrast to surgically removed specimens. We speculated excess control of evacuation with laxatives as one of causes of atrophy of the rectal myenteric plexus.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the people who donated their cadavers to Tokyo Dental College for research and education on human anatomy without any economic benefit. We also thank their families for agreeing to these donations as well as for their patience in awaiting the return of their relatives’ bones after study. This work was supported by a grant (0620220-1) from the National R&D Program for Cancer Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Daejeon Sun Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea

    Si Eun Hwang

  2. Department of Urology, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Hiroshima, Japan

    Keisuke Hieda & Akio Matsubara

  3. Department of Anatomy, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea

    Ji Hyun Kim

  4. Division of Internal Medicine, Iwamizawa Kojin-kai Hospital, Iwamizawa, Japan

    Gen Murakami

  5. Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan

    Shinichi Abe

  6. Department of Surgery and Biomedical Research Institute, Chonbuk National University Hospital, San 2-20, Geumam-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, 561-712, Republic of Korea

    Baik Hwan Cho

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  1. Si Eun Hwang
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  2. Keisuke Hieda
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  3. Ji Hyun Kim
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  4. Gen Murakami
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  7. Baik Hwan Cho
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Correspondence to Baik Hwan Cho.

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Hwang, S.E., Hieda, K., Kim, J.H. et al. Region-specific differences in the human myenteric plexus: an immunohistochemical study using donated elderly cadavers. Int J Colorectal Dis 29, 783–791 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-014-1869-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-014-1869-z

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