1992 Volume 45 Issue 1 Pages 39-47
The distribution of enteroglial cells in the enteric nerve plexuses of the rat small intestine was examined immunocytochemically using an improved peroxidase-antiperoxidase method with antiserum against S-100b protein. Enteroglial cells and enteroneuronal projections were stained at the same time by the Champy-Maillet (ZIO) method. It was demonstrated that the enteric nerve plexuses extended into the mucous coat, the submucous coat including the submucous plexus, the circular muscle layer, the myenteric plexus, the longitudinal muscle layer and the serous coat. The enteric nerve plexuses constituted a three-dimensional network of ganglia, primary and secondary nerve strands and tertiary nerve strands, termed the autonomic ground plexus. The submucous plexus contained numerous small ganglia, whereas the myenteric plexus contained many long and large ganglia. The autonomic ground plexus in the myenteric plexus formed loose networks.
