Nerve pathways involved in adrenergic regulation of electrical and mechanical activities in the chicken rectum

Distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide and substance P messenger ribonucleic acid in intestinal nerve of Remak of chicken

The intestinal nerve of Remak (INR) is unique to birds. The exact distributions and secretions of the peptide transmitters in the INR that innervate the intestine, and the patterns of their projections to the nerve plexus of the intestinal wall, are still unclear. In the present study, the distributions of chicken vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) mRNA and substance P (SP) mRNA in the chicken INR were demonstrated by means of in situ hybridization histochemistry, using sense and antisense digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes. The in situ hybridization histochemistry results suggested that VIP mRNA-positive neurons were mainly distributed in ganglions, whereas some of the INR fibers were weakly positive. The proportion of VIP mRNA-positive cells among total neurons was 75% in the juxta-jejunoileum portion and 87% in the juxta-rectal portion of the INR. Most SP mRNA-positive cells were sporadically distributed in layers or small groups within the ganglions, as well as in nerve trunks between ganglions. Moreover, the proportion of positive cells among total neurons was 83% in the juxta-jejunoileum portion and 98% in the juxta-rectal portion of the INR, which suggests that both VIP and SP mRNA are coexpressed in the chicken INR. Our results provide an approach to further study of the locations of VIP and SP in nerve tissue.

The sympathetic postganglionic and sensory innervation of oviducal magnum in hen: a choleratoxin subunit B-conjugated horseradish peroxidase study

The anatomy of the extrinsic innervation of the avian magnum has not been accurately demonstrated previously. In the present study, choleratoxin subunit B-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (CB-HRP) was used as a retrograde tracer to determine the sympathetic postganglionic and sensory innervation of the magnum of hens. With regard to the sympathetic postganglionic innervation, following CB-HRP injections under the serosa of the magnum, CB-HRP-positive neurons were found bilaterally in the C12-LS13 ganglia of the sympathetic chain, splanchnic ganglia and adrenal ganglia. The number of labelled neurons in the left ganglia of the sympathetic chain and splanchnic ganglia was approximately 2.1 times that in the right ganglia. This suggests that the unilateral magnum is bilaterally innervated with sympathetic postganglionic nerves, the left nerves being predominant. With regard to the sensory innervation, following tracer injections, CB-HRP-positive neurons were found bilaterally in the spinal ganglia C13-LS12, jugular ganglia and nodose ganglia. The number of positive cells in the left ganglia was about 2.2 times that in the right ganglia. In the spinal ganglia, 85.6% of the labelled neurons were in the T5-LS2 and LS8-LS11 ganglia. These results suggest that the sensory nerve fibres of the magnum reach the central nervous system principally via two groups of spinal ganglia and vagus nerves, and that the innervation is bilateral although the left-hand route predominates. Moreover, 45.7% of all the CB-HRP-labelled neurons were found in the rectal region of the intestinal nerve of Remak (INR), which suggests that the INR plays a very important role in the functional regulation of the magnum.

Electrical characteristics and responses to jejunal distension of neurons in Remak's juxta-jejunal ganglia of the domestic fowl

1. Remak's nerve is a ganglionated nerve trunk found only in birds that runs parallel to the gut from the duodenal-jejunal junction to the cloaca. We report the first electrophysiological characterization of these neurons and their responses to gut distension. 2. A segment of chicken jejunum with attached Remak's nerve was pinned in an electrophysiological chamber. Neurons in Remak's ganglia were impaled with microelectrodes. The adjacent segment of gut was distended with fluid. 3. One hundred and thirty neurons were characterized into three electrophysiological classes: (i) tonic neurons (74%) fired action potentials spontaneously (frequency 3.5 Hz) and continuously (up to 40 Hz) throughout a depolarizing current pulse; (ii) AD neurons (22%) fired a brief burst of action potentials (1-10), which were followed by a prolonged after-depolarization (AD) of duration 2.8 +/- 0.3 s; and (iii) phasic neurons (4%) fired an initial burst of action potentials followed by an after-hyperpolarization (duration, 520.0 +/- 32.0 ms). Tetrodotoxin (1 microM) abolished action potentials in tonic and AD neurons as well as the after-depolarization. 4. Spontaneous fast excitatory postsynaptic potentials (FEPSPs) occurred in all classes of neurons; they were not observed, however, in ganglia isolated from the jejunum. 5. Intracellular injection of biocytin revealed that neurons could be characterized into four morphological classes. Tonic neurons, which had long and extensive dendritic trees, were Remak's Type I, II and IV neurons. AD neurons also comprised Remak's type II neurons. Phasic neurons were Remak's Type III neurons. Most neurons had axons that projected orally along Remak's nerve. 6. Distension of the jejunum evoked FEPSPs and action potentials in tonic neurons, and repetitive bursts of action potentials (1-4) followed by an after-depolarization in AD neurons. All responses to distension were blocked by hexamethonium (300 microM) and tetrodotoxin (1 microM). 7. In conclusion, neurons in Remak's juxta-jejunal nerve appear to regulate gut motility. Three distinct electrophysiological classes of neurons were observed, all of which appear to be activated by distension sensitive cholinergic intestinofugal neurons in the jejunum.

Projections of neurons in the intestinal nerve of Remak to the chicken intestine

To date, the exact site of the extrinsic postganglionic neurons innervating the intramural plexuses in the chicken intestine is unknown. In this study, neurons in the intestinal nerve of Remak (INR) were immunohistochemically labelled by injecting cholera toxin subunit B (CTb) into each one of the jejunal, ileal, cecal and rectal walls. The CTb-immunoreactive (IR) neurons were counted, and some sections from the rectal portion of INR (rectal INR) were also immunostained for either tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or methionine enkephalin (mENK). Following injection of CTb into the jejunum or ileum, only a few CTb-IR neurons were found in the jejunal or ileal part of INR caudal to the injection site. Following injection into the more caudal intestine, CTb-IR neurons were seen in the rectal INR. Of the 3490 CTb-IR neurons that were counted in the rectal INR, 40% projected into the rostral rectum, 24% into the caudal rectum, 17% into the ileum, 10% into the cecum and only 9% into the middle rectum. Rostrocaudally dividing the rectal INR into three parts, one third of the CTb-IR neurons in the rostral part projected into the rostral rectum, the majority of CTb-IR ones in the middle part innervated the rostral rectum, and half of CTb-IR neurons in the caudal part ran into the caudal rectum. Consequently, the rostral rectum received the densest innervation, and almost all the neurons in the rectal INR exhibited an ascending projection. By double labelling, CTb-IR neurons containing TH or mENK were observed in the rectal INR after the rectal injection. The mENK-IR neurons localized in middle and caudal parts of rectal INR amounted to one third of the total CTb-IR neurons, and mainly projected into the rostral and caudal rectum. TH-and mENK-immunonegative neurons were restricted to the rostral part of rectal INR and the more rostral level.

Calbindin, tyrosine hydroxylase and opioid-like immunoreactivity in the intestinal nerve of Remak of the domestic fowl

Four classes of neurons were identified in both juxta-jejunal and juxta-rectal ganglia of Remak's nerve of the domestic fowl using double-labeling immunohistochemistry. Neurons immunoreactive (IR) for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) formed a mutually exclusive subpopulation from neurons displaying calbindin (CaBP)-IR. Between 48-72% of juxta-jejunal neurons labeled for TH whereas 36-57% of juxta-rectal neurons displayed TH-IR. CaBP-IR was present in 18-40% of juxta-jejunal neurons; this increased to 31-46% in juxta-rectal neurons. The majority of CaBP-IR neurons (78-85%) also displayed opioid (beta-EP)-IR. Within each ganglion a small percentage of neurons (4-18%) were non-IR with any of the three antibodies. This is the first report of an immunohistochemically identified subpopulation of non-catecholaminergic neurons within the juxta-jejunal ganglia of Remak's nerve. It is proposed that these perikarya are a major source of the CaBP-IR and opioid-IR nerve fibers found in the chicken gut.

Development before and after hatching of non-cholinergic excitatory innervation to the rectum via Remak's nerve in the fowl

1. Development of the excitatory innervation to the rectal region of the intestine via Remak's nerve has been investigated in the rectum with Remak's nerve supply isolated from chicken embryos and young chicks aged less than two weeks. 2. Electrical stimulation of Remak's nerve produced a small contraction of the rectum isolated from chicken embryos on the 14th day of incubation (the earliest time examined). The contractile response was inhibited partially or totally by atropine (0.1 micrograms ml-1) but enhanced by physostigmine (0.01 to 0.05 micrograms ml-1), indicating its cholinergic nature. 3. During the embryonic stage, the proportion of the atropine-resistant component in the contractile response increased, and the contractile response became almost entirely atropine-resistant within the first week after hatching. 4. Later after hatching, the contractile response was increased in magnitude by atropine and reduced by physostigmine. 5. It is concluded that the excitatory innervation to the chicken rectum via Remak's nerve is cholinergic at the 14-16th day of incubation and is gradually replaced by a non-cholinergic innervation during embryonic development.

Some membrane properties of the circular muscle of chicken rectum and its non-adrenergic non-cholinergic innervation

1. Membrane properties and innervation of the circular muscle of chicken rectum were investigated by recording intracellularly electrotonic potentials evoked by passing current, and excitatory and inhibitory junction potentials (EJPs and IJPs) evoked by electrical stimulation of the extrinsic or intrinsic nerves. 2. The membrane potential was -55 +/- 0.6 mV (n = 95). Action potentials of long duration (1.2-4.0 s) discharged spontaneously, or were generated when the membrane depolarization due to either electrotonic potential or EJP reached the threshold. The drug D600 blocked the generation of action potentials. 3. Electrotonic potentials spread fairly well in the longitudinal direction of the muscle fibres but not in the transverse direction. The longitudinal space constant was 1.7 +/- 0.2 mm (n = 10) and the membrane time constant was 205 +/- 21 ms (n = 10). 4. Field stimulation of intramural nerves evoked an EJP followed by a long-lasting IJP (3-12 s in total duration) in most cells, and an EJP alone or an IJP alone in a small number of cells. The EJP and IJP were preserved in the simultaneous presence of atropine and guanethidine, but abolished with tetrodotoxin. 5. Stimulation of Remak's nerve trunk or its branches produced EJPs which were atropine resistant and guanethidine resistant just like the EJP elicited by intramural nerve stimulation. The extrinsic nerve stimulation was ineffective in eliciting IJPs. 6. The EJP amplitude declined in a linear manner as the distance from the stimulating site of intramural nerves was increased. The decline was much greater along the transverse axis than the longitudinal axis of circular muscle fibres. 7. The reversal potential for the EJP was estimated by extrapolation to be about - 15.3 +/- 0.3 mV (n = 7). 8. Apamin did not inhibit the IJP. During the hyperpolarization of a single IJP or summed IJPs, electrotonic potentials remained unchanged or slightly decreased in amplitude.

Effects of prolonged exposure to alpha,beta-methylene ATP on non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic excitatory transmission in the rectum of the chicken

1. Effects of prolonged exposure to alpha,beta-methylene ATP (alpha,beta-Me ATP) on contractions and excitatory junction potentials (e.j.ps) evoked by non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) excitatory nerve stimulation have been investigated in the chicken isolated rectum and longitudinal muscle strip from chicken rectum pretreated with atropine (0.5 microM), methysergide (2 microM) and pyrilamine (3 microM). 2. Alpha,beta-Me ATP (20 nM-4 microM) caused a rapid rise in tension of the longitudinal muscle of the isolated rectum preparation which returned to the baseline levels after a few minutes. The magnitude of the contractile response to NANC nerve stimulation was reduced after exposure to the drug. The inhibitory effect was related to the drug concentration; at 4 microM the nerve-mediated contraction was abolished and frequently converted to a relaxation. 3. Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP, 100 microM), bovine neurotensin (2.5 nM) and K+-rich solutions (30 nM and 60 nM) all produced a transient contraction of the isolated rectum preparation. The exposure to alpha,beta-Me ATP (0.2 and 4 microM) also rendered the preparation less sensitive to these stimulant substances. 4. Alpha,beta-Me ATP (0.2 and 4 microM) caused a membrane depolarization in cells of the longitudinal muscle strip. The depolarization reached a peak within 2-3 min after application and then decayed to a steady level that was still more positive than the baseline level. The electrotonic potentials were reduced in amplitude to 44 +/- 8% (n = 7) of the normal amplitude if measured at the peak depolarization produced with 0.2 microM alpha,beta-Me ATP, and to 62 +/- 10% (n = 7) if measured at the steady-state depolarization. With 4 microM, the corresponding percentages were 33 +/- 7% (n = 8) and 55 +/- 7% (n = 8), indicating a decrease in membrane resistance. 5. The e.j.ps in response to field stimulation of the intramural nerves and Remak's nerve stimulation were decreased in amplitude and duration during exposure to alpha,beta-Me ATP (0.2 and 4 microM). 6. The smooth muscle cells regained normal membrane resistance and sensitivity to ATP on washout of alpha,beta-Me ATP (4 microM) more rapidly than the responses to NANC nerve stimulation. 7. It can be argued from the results that the suppression by alpha,beta-Me ATP of the contraction and e.j.p. evoked by NANC nerve stimulation in the chicken rectum, unlike the mammalian preparation described previously, is due mainly to a change in the electrical properties of the membrane of the smooth muscle cells, rather than being due, or only partly due, to desensitization of the purine receptor.