PUBLICATION

Differentiation of the zebrafish enteric nervous system and intestinal smooth muscle

Authors
Olden, T., Akhtar, T., Beckman, S.A., and Wallace, K.N.
ID
ZDB-PUB-080915-11
Date
2008
Source
Genesis (New York, N.Y. : 2000)   46(9): 484-498 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Wallace, Kenneth
Keywords
enteric nervous system, zebrafish, smooth muscle, digestive development, neural crest, neural precursor proliferation, neural differentiation
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/cytology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/embryology
  • Enteric Nervous System/cytology*
  • Enteric Nervous System/embryology*
  • Intestines/cytology*
  • Intestines/embryology*
  • Muscle, Smooth/cytology*
  • Muscle, Smooth/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
PubMed
18781646 Full text @ Genesis
Abstract
Development of the enteric nervous system is critical for normal functioning of the digestive system. In vertebrates, enteric precursors originate from the neural crest and migrate into the digestive system. Enteric neurons enable the digestive system to sense and respond to local conditions without the need for central nervous system input. Here we describe major steps in differentiation of the zebrafish enteric nervous system. During migration and neural differentiation of enteric precursors, we identify regions of the enteric nervous system in different phases of differentiation. Early in migration, a small group of anterior enteric neurons are first to form. This is followed by an anterior to posterior wave of enteric neural differentiation later in the migratory phase. Enteric precursors continue proliferating and differentiating into the third day of embryogenesis. nNOS neurons form early while serotonin neurons form late toward the end of enteric neural differentiation. Numbers of enteric neurons increase gradually except during periods of circular and longitudinal intestinal smooth muscle differentiation.
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