Divergent fate and origin of neurosphere-like bodies from different layers of the gut

Laren Becker, Subhash Kulkarni, Gunjan Tiwari, Maria Adelaide Micci, Pankaj Jay Pasricha

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Enteric neural stem cells (ENSCs) are a population of neural crestderived multipotent stem cells present in postnatal gut that may play an important role in regeneration of the enteric nervous system. In most studies, these cells have been isolated from the layer of the gut containing the myenteric plexus. However, a recent report demonstrated that neurosphere-like bodies (NLBs) containing ENSCs could be isolated from mucosal biopsy specimens from children, suggesting that ENSCs are present in multiple layers of the gut. The aim of our study was to assess whether NLBs isolated from layers of gut containing either myenteric or submucosal plexus are equivalent. We divided the mouse small intestine into two layers, one containing myenteric plexus and the other submucosal plexus, and assessed for NLB formation. Differences in NLB density, proliferation, apoptosis, neural crest origin, and phenotype were investigated. NLBs isolated from the myenteric plexus layer were present at a higher density and demonstrated greater proliferation, lower apoptosis, and higher expression of nestin, p75, Sox10, and Ret than those from submucosal plexus. Additionally, they contained a higher percentage of neural crest-derived cells (99.4 ± 1.5 vs. 0.7 ± 1.19% of Wnt1-cre:tdTomato cells; P < 0.0001) and produced more neurons and glial cells than those from submucosal plexus. NLBs from the submucosal plexus layer expressed higher CD34 and produced more smooth muscle-like cells. NLBs from the myenteric plexus layer contain more neural crest-derived ENSCs while those from submucosal plexus appear more heterogeneous, likely containing a population of mesenchymal stem cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)G958-G965
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology
Volume302
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2012

Keywords

  • Enteric neural stem cells
  • Neural crest
  • Wnt1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Hepatology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Physiology (medical)

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