HISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON ENZYMES CONCERNED WITH PHOSPHATE ESTER, ESTER AND NEUROTRANSMITTER METABOLISM IN THE ENTERIC PLEXUS OF GUINEA PIG / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Enzyme histochemistry of neurons in the enteric nerve plexus of guinea pigs were studied with light microscope semi-quantitatively and microphotometer quantitatively. The results showed that the neurons differ greatly in A1P (alkaline phosphatase), AcP (acid phosphatase), 5'-Nase (5'-Nucleotidase), TPPase (thiamine pyrophosphatase), NsE (non specific esterase) and ChAT (choline acetyltransferase). There were disparities to a certain extent in reactions of MAO (monoamine oxidase), AP (aminopeptidase) and AChE (acetylcholinesterase) among different segments of gastrointestinal between submucous and myenteric plexus, but all neurons were positive for the enzymes stated above. The neurons in each ganglion were relatively similar in the enzyme activities. There were about 50-66% neurons in the enteric nerve plexus showing strong reaction of ChAT, which may be cholinergic neurons. There were significant differences in enzymatic activities, except NsE, between submucous plexus and myenteric plexus statistically. Submucous plexus showed stronger reactions of AcP and AP than those of myenteric plexus, while myenteric plexus showed stronger reactions of A1P, 5'-Nase, TPPase, MAO, ChAT than those of submucous plexus. The ganglia of intramural plexus in stomach were not well developed as those of intestine, especially the submucous plexus of stomach, in which there were only few scattered neurons, and they showed weaker enzyme activities than those of intestine. The enteric neurons in duodenum and proximal colon showed strongest activities for most enzymes among different segments of intestine. The above results indicate that the enteric neurons exist remarkable differences in metabolism and functional states.