Vascularisation is not necessary for gut colonisation by enteric neural crest cells.

ABSTRACT: The vasculature and nervous system share striking similarities in their networked, tree-like architecture and in the way they are super-imposed in mature organs. It has previously been suggested that the intestinal microvasculature network directs the migration of enteric neural crest cells (ENCC) along the gut to promote the formation of the enteric nervous system (ENS). To investigate the inter-relationship of migrating ENCC, ENS formation and gut vascular development we combined fate-mapping of ENCC with immunolabelling and intravascular dye injection to visualise nascent blood vessel networks. We found that the enteric and vascular networks initially had very distinct patterns of development. In the foregut, ENCC migrated through areas devoid of established vascular networks. In vessel

SUBMITTER: Delalande JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3928993 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature