Cellular mechanisms that spatiotemporally direct neural crest cell migration and enteric nerve system formation

Abstract

The enteric nervous system (ENS) in the gastrointestinal tract is a complex nervous network. It is essential for gut secretion, absorption and peristalsis. Most of the ENS arises from vagal neural crest cells (NCCs) which migrate from the neural tube (level somite s1 to s7) into the foregut then colonize the rest of the intestine as a rostro-caudal wave and form the ENS. If this cell migration fails to be completed, the distal intestine lacks ENS, this results in Hirschsprung Disease (HSCR). My research project is going to answer: Do all levels of vagal NCC contribute to ENS equally? What is the enteric NCCs population expansion potential and how do individual initial enteric NCCs contribute..