Gut Analysis Toolbox - automating quantitative analysis of enteric neurons.

The enteric nervous system (ENS) consists of an extensive network of neurons and glial cells embedded within the wall of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Alterations in neuronal distribution and function are strongly associated with GI dysfunction. Current methods for assessing neuronal distribution suffer from undersampling, partly due to challenges associated with imaging and analyzing large tissue areas, and operator bias due to manual analysis.

Stress-sensitive neural circuits change the gut microbiome via duodenal glands.

Negative psychological states impact immunity by altering the gut microbiome. However, the relationship between brain states and microbiome composition remains unclear. We show that Brunner's glands in the duodenum couple stress-sensitive brain circuits to bacterial homeostasis.

A modified pull-through approach with a pedicled bone flap for oral and oropharyngeal cancer resection: a feasibility study.

Purpose: Compromised swallowing, speaking, and local complications are the major disadvantages of established approaches to the posterior tongue and oropharynx. The mandibular split involves an esthetically unpleasant bipartition of the lower lip and is prone to bony non-union or sequestration. The conventional pull-through technique on the other hand lacks the secure reattachment of the lingually released soft tissues.

Spatial gene expression profile of Wnt-signaling components in the murine enteric nervous system.

Introduction: Wnt-signaling is a key regulator of stem cell homeostasis, extensively studied in the intestinal crypt and other metazoan tissues. Yet, there is hardly any data available on the presence of Wnt-signaling components in the adult enteric nervous system (ENS) .

Methods: Therefore, we employed RNAscope HiPlex-assay, a novel and more sensitive hybridization technology.

Dickkopf1 induces enteric neurogenesis and gliogenesis in vitro if apoptosis is evaded.

Neurogenesis in the postnatal enteric nervous system (ENS) is controversially discussed. Yet, deciphering the regenerative potential of the ENS is essential for our understanding and therapy of human enteric neuropathies. Dickkopf1 (DKK1) is a Wnt-antagonist and involved in the homeostasis of various tissues.

Overexpression of human alpha-Synuclein leads to dysregulated microbiome/metabolites with ageing in a rat model of Parkinson disease.

Background: Braak's hypothesis states that sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) follows a specific progression of pathology from the peripheral to the central nervous system, and this progression can be monitored by detecting the accumulation of alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) protein. Consequently, there is growing interest in understanding how the gut (commensal) microbiome can regulate α-Syn accumulation, as this could potentially lead to PD.

Methods: We used 16S rRNA and shotgun sequencing to characterise microbial diversity.

The chemicals between us-First results of the cluster analyses on anatomy embalming procedures in the German-speaking countries.

Hands-on courses utilizing preserved human tissues for educational training offer an important pathway to acquire basic anatomical knowledge. Owing to the reevaluation of formaldehyde limits by the European Commission, a joint approach was chosen by the German-speaking anatomies in Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) to find commonalities among embalming protocols and infrastructure. A survey comprising 537 items was circulated to all anatomies in German-speaking Europe.

Curricular representation of neurogastroenterology: A survey among medical students in Germany.

Background: Neurogastroenterological disorders (NGDs) are highly prevalent and substantially impact patients' quality of life. Effective treatment of NGDs depends on the competence and training of medical caregivers. Students' perceived competence in neurogastroenterology and its place in medical school curricula are assessed in this study.

Aquaporin-1 and Aquaporin-4 Expression in Ependyma, Choroid Plexus and Surrounding Transition Zones in the Human Brain.

The choroid plexus (CP) is a structure in the brain ventricles that produces the main part of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It is covered with specialized cells which show epithelial characteristics and are the site of the blood-CSF barrier. These cells form a contiguous cell sheet with ventricle-lining ependymal cells which are known to express aquaporin-4 (AQP4).

XVIIth Little Brain Big Brain: an extraordinary meeting in extraordinary times.

Little Brain Big Brain is a biannual meeting organized and attended by young investigators. Since its inception in 1989, this meeting has brought together promising junior researchers in neurogastroenterology. The XVIIth meeting featured the latest basic, clinical and industry research in the field in a special post-pandemic edition.

Annotated translation of Georg Meissner's first description of the submucosal plexus.

Background: The discovery and detailed descriptions of the enteric nervous system dates back only ˂200 years. The 19th century was a golden age of histological, morphological, and physiological breakthroughs propelled by technological advances in microscopy, electricity, and scientific methodology. As a matter of fact, German-speaking scientists were highly successful during this period as can still be appreciated by the sheer number of German eponyms in anatomy.

Aquaporin-4 expression in the human choroid plexus.

The choroid plexus (CP) consists of specialized ependymal cells and underlying blood vessels and stroma producing the bulk of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CP epithelial cells are considered the site of the internal blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, show epithelial characteristics (basal lamina, tight junctions), and express aquaporin-1 (AQP1) apically. In this study, we analyzed the expression of aquaporins in the human CP using immunofluorescence and qPCR.

Anatomical work-up of an individual with multiple muscular variants on both forearms.

Muscular variants of the forearm are common and frequently cause neurovascular compression syndromes, especially when interfering with the compact topography of the carpal tunnel or the Canalis ulnaris. Here, we report on a male body donor with multiple muscular normal variations on both forearms. The two main findings are (1) an accessory variant muscle (AVM) on the right forearm originating from the M.

Organization of radial glia reveals growth pattern in the telencephalon of a percomorph fish Astatotilapia burtoni.

In the brain of teleost fish, radial glial cells are the main astroglial cell type. To understand how radial glia structures are adapting to continuous growth of the brain, we studied the astroglial cells in the telencephalon of the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni in small fry to large specimens. These animals grow to a standard length of 10-12 cm in this fish species, corresponding to a more than 100-fold increase in brain volume.

Evidence of SARS-CoV2 Entry Protein ACE2 in the Human Nose and Olfactory Bulb.

Usually, pandemic COVID-19 disease, caused by SARS-CoV2, presents with mild respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, but frequently also with anosmia and neurological symptoms. Virus-cell fusion is mediated by angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) with their organ expression pattern determining viral tropism. Clinical presentation suggests rapid viral dissemination to the central nervous system leading frequently to severe symptoms including viral meningitis.

Histological Evidence for the Enteric Nervous System and the Choroid Plexus as Alternative Routes of Neuroinvasion by SARS-CoV2.

Evidence is mounting that the novel corona virus SARS-CoV2 inflicts neurological symptoms in a subgroup of COVID-19 patients. While plenty of theories on the route of neuroinvasion have been proposed, little histological evidence has been presented supporting any of these hypotheses. Therefore, we carried out immunostainings for ACE2 and TMPRSS2, two proteinases crucial for the entry of SARS-CoV2 into host cells, in the human enteric nervous system (ENS), as well as in the choroid plexus of the lateral ventricles.

Wnt Receptor Frizzled-4 as a Marker for Isolation of Enteric Neural Progenitors in Human Children.

Identification and isolation of neural progenitor cells from the human enteric nervous system (ENS) is currently hampered by the lack of reliable, specific markers. Here, we define the Wnt-receptor frizzled-4 as a marker for the isolation of enteric neural progenitor cells derived from paediatric gut samples. We show that the Wnt-receptor frizzled-4 is expressed in the human colon and in -derived enterospheres.

A Cleared View on Retinal Organoids.

Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived organoids mimicking tissues and organs in vitro have advanced medical research, as they opened up new possibilities for in-depth basic research on human organ development as well as providing a human in vitro model for personalized therapeutic approaches. hiPSC-derived retinal organoids have proven to be of great value for modeling the human retina featuring a very similar cellular composition, layering, and functionality. The technically challenging imaging of three-dimensional structures such as retinal organoids has, however, raised the need for robust whole-organoid imaging techniques.

Claudin expression in the rat endolymphatic duct and sac - first insights into regulation of the paracellular barrier by vasopressin.

Hearing and balance functions of the inner ear rely on the homeostasis of the endolymphatic fluid. When disturbed, pathologic endolymphatic hydrops evolves as observed in Menière's disease. The molecular basis of inner ear fluid regulation across the endolymphatic epithelium is largely unknown.

Activation of Wnt Signaling Increases Numbers of Enteric Neurons Derived From Neonatal Mouse and Human Progenitor Cells.

Background & Aims: Neural stem and progenitor cells from the enteric nervous system (ENS) might serve as a source of cells for treatment of neurogastrointestinal disorders. Before we can use these cells, we must increase our understanding of the signaling mechanisms that regulate proliferation and differentiation. We systematically evaluated the effects of canonical Wnt signaling on proliferation and differentiation of cultured ENS progenitor cells from neonatal mice and humans.

Large-scale tissue clearing (PACT): Technical evaluation and new perspectives in immunofluorescence, histology, and ultrastructure.

Novel techniques, like CLARITY and PACT, render large tissue specimens transparent and thereby suitable for microscopic analysis. We used these techniques to evaluate their potential in the intestine as an exemplary organ with a complex tissue composition. Immunohistochemistry, light sheet-, and confocal scanning-microscopy enabled us to follow complex three-dimensional structures, like nerve fibers, vessels, and epithelial barriers throughout the entire organ.

Organotypical Tissue Cultures from Fetal and Neonatal Murine Colon.

The complex functions of the gastrointestinal tract rely on the coordinated interplay of several cell and tissue types involving epithelium, connective tissue, smooth muscles as well as cells of the immune and nervous system. It is therefore obvious, that these functions can hardly be investigated sufficiently using cell lines or two-dimensional cell cultures.Here, we describe an easy to produce three-dimensional organotypical explants culture from fetal and neonatal murine colon.

Comparative Microarray Analysis of Proliferating and Differentiating Murine ENS Progenitor Cells.

Postnatal neural progenitor cells of the enteric nervous system are a potential source for future cell replacement therapies of developmental dysplasia like Hirschsprung's disease. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms driving the homeostasis and differentiation of this cell pool. In this work, we conducted Affymetrix GeneChip experiments to identify differences in gene regulation between proliferation and early differentiation of enteric neural progenitors from neonatal mice.

Isolation, expansion and transplantation of postnatal murine progenitor cells of the enteric nervous system.

Neural stem or progenitor cells have been proposed to restore gastrointestinal function in patients suffering from congenital or acquired defects of the enteric nervous system. Various, mainly embryonic cell sources have been identified for this purpose. However, immunological and ethical issues make a postnatal cell based therapy desirable.

Molecular and cell biological effects of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine on progenitor cells of the enteric nervous system in vitro.

Introduction: Thyroid hormones play important roles in the development of neural cells in the central nervous system. Even minor changes to normal thyroid hormone levels affect dendritic and axonal outgrowth, sprouting and myelination and might even lead to irreversible damages such as cretinism. Despite our knowledge of the influence on the mammalian CNS, the role of thyroid hormones in the development of the enteric nervous system (ENS) still needs to be elucidated.