The Virtual Stomach

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Gastric Motility in Conscious Rats

X Wang, F Alkaabi, A Cornett, M Choi, UM Scheven, MR Di Natale, JB Furness, Z Liu

2026-01-01

Introduction: Gastrointestinal (GI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enables simultaneous assessment of gastric peristalsis, empty..

Regional specialisations of innervation and musculature of the rat stomach

MR Di Natale, X Wang, B Hunne, M Wraight, Z Liu, MN Han, JB Furness

2026-01-01

The region of the gastric lesser curvature is reported to differ from other parts of the stomach in lacking rhythmic muscle moveme..

A Workflow for Creating Gastric Computational Models from SPARC Scaffolds

R Avci, ON Athavale, M Sangi, MR Di Natale, JB Furness, Z Liu, P Du, LK Cheng

2024-11-01

Featured Application: A framework to develop computational models from SPARC scaffolds was developed and utilized to simulate gast..

Surface mapping of gastric motor functions using MRI: a comparative study between humans and rats

X Wang, F Alkaabi, M Choi, MR Di Natale, UM Scheven, DC Noll, JB Furness, Z Liu

2024-09-01

The stomach’s ability to store, mix, propel, and empty its content requires highly coordinated motor functions. However, current d..

Mapping the rat gastric slow-wave conduction pathway: bridging in vitro and in vivo methods, revealing a loosely coupled region in the distal stomach

Omkar N Athavale, Madeleine R Di Natale, Recep Avci, Alys R Clark, John B Furness, Leo K Cheng, Peng Du

2024-08-01

Rhythmic electrical events, termed slow waves, govern the timing and amplitude of phasic contractions of the gastric musculature. ..

Characterization of neuromuscular transmission and projections of muscle motor neurons in the rat stomach

MRD Natale, B Hunne, MJ Stebbing, X Wang, Z Liu, JB Furness

2024-01-01

The stomach is the primary reservoir of the gastrointestinal tract, where ingested content is broken down into small particles. Co..

Neural regulation of slow waves and phasic contractions in the distal stomach: a mathematical model

ON Athavale, R Avci, AR Clark, MR Di Natale, X Wang, JB Furness, Z Liu, LK Cheng, P Du

2023-12-01

Objective. Neural regulation of gastric motility occurs partly through the regulation of gastric bioelectrical slow waves (SWs) an..

Functional and anatomical gastric regions and their relations to motility control

MR Di Natale, ON Athavale, X Wang, P Du, LK Cheng, Z Liu, JB Furness

2023-09-01

The common occurrence of gastric disorders, the accelerating emphasis on the role of the gut-brain axis, and development of realis..

Diffeomorphic Surface Modeling for MRI-Based Characterization of Gastric Anatomy and Motility

X Wang, J Cao, K Han, M Choi, Y She, UM Scheven, R Avci, P Du, LK Cheng, MRD Natale, JB Furness, Z Liu

2023-07-01

Objective: Gastrointestinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides rich spatiotemporal data about the movement of the food insi..

A Computational Model of Biophysical Properties of the Rat Stomach Informed by Comprehensive Analysis of Muscle Anatomy.

Recep Avci, Joseph D Wickens, Mehrdad Sangi, Omkar N Athavale, Madeleine R Di Natale, John B Furness, Peng Du, Leo K Cheng

2022-07-01

An anatomically based 3D computational model of the rat stomach was developed using experimental muscle thickness measurements and..

Morphologies, dimensions and targets of gastric nitric oxide synthase neurons

MR Di Natale, B Hunne, JJM Liew, LJ Fothergill, MJ Stebbing, JB Furness

2022-04-01

We investigated the distributions and targets of nitrergic neurons in the rat stomach, using neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) ..

Organisation of the musculature of the rat stomach

MR Di Natale, L Patten, JC Molero, MJ Stebbing, B Hunne, X Wang, Z Liu, JB Furness

2022-04-01

The strengths, directions and coupling of the movements of the stomach depend on the organisation of its musculature. Although the..

Autonomic neuromuscular junctions

MR Di Natale, MJ Stebbing, JB Furness

2021-09-01

This review traces the history of the discovery and subsequent understanding of smooth muscle cells and their motor innervation. S..