Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Marvin Bubeck, Christoph Becker, Jay V. Patankar
Summary: The intestinal mucosal surface, which is in direct contact with the environment, plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis through the coordinated actions of immune, epithelial, and neuronal cells. The enteric nervous system has been found to have important functions in regulating and maintaining the integrity of the epithelial barrier. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the neuro-immune-epithelial mechanisms ensuring intestinal barrier integrity and maintenance of intestinal homeostasis.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jonathan D. Windster, Andrea Sacchetti, Gerben J. Schaaf, Eric M. J. Bindels, Robert M. W. Hofstra, Rene M. H. Wijnen, Cornelius E. J. Sloots, Maria M. Alves
Summary: A selective FACS protocol based on CD56/CD90/CD24 co-expression is developed to enrich and discriminate human ENS cells. Neuronal and glial selective markers are found to be co-expressed by all ENS cells, mainly driven by neuronal fragments. By applying this protocol to single-cell RNA sequencing, high-quality ENS cells are obtained for transcriptome analysis.
Article
Microbiology
Fernando A. Vicentini, Catherine M. Keenan, Laurie E. Wallace, Crystal Woods, Jean-Baptiste Cavin, Amanda R. Flockton, Wendy B. Macklin, Jaime Belkind-Gerson, Simon A. Hirota, Keith A. Sharkey
Summary: The study demonstrates the role of the gut microbiota in regulating the structure and function of the GI tract in a sex-independent manner. The microbiota is essential for maintaining ENS integrity by regulating enteric neuronal survival and promoting neurogenesis. Molecular determinants such as LPS and SCFA play a key role in regulating enteric neuronal survival and neurogenesis.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Christine Dharshika, Brian D. Gulbransen
Summary: Recent advances in high-throughput omics technologies, such as single cell RNA sequencing, have enabled the identification of cell-type and subtype-specific expression patterns in the enteric nervous system (ENS). These omics methods have provided insights into known functional subtypes and have suggested the existence of novel subtypes based on gene and protein expression patterns. Furthermore, changes in these expression patterns during pathological conditions have been investigated using omics research. While ENS omics studies have generated valuable data and answers, they have also opened up new questions and avenues for future study.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Physiology
Keith A. Sharkey, Gary M. Mawe
Summary: The gastrointestinal tract is the most complex organ system in the body, controlling digestion and defense functions through the enteric nervous system. This system interacts with the immune system, gut microbiota, and epithelium to maintain mucosal defense and barrier function. Recent developments have improved our understanding of the molecular architecture, function, and regulation of the enteric nervous system, highlighting its importance in maintaining intestinal homeostasis.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mohammad M. Ahmadzai, Luisa Seguella, Brian D. Gulbransen
Summary: In the enteric nervous system, glia control gastrointestinal motility through bidirectional communication with neurons, and respond to stimulation in different directions. Cholinergic signaling specifies glia to descending circuitry, while purinergic signaling recruits glia to enhance activity in ascending circuit pathways, providing insights into the functional breadth of peripheral glia. Pharmacological manipulation of glial signaling alters neuronal responses in a sex-dependent manner, highlighting the importance of the balance between purinergic and cholinergic signaling in controlling specific circuit activity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Simone L. Schonkeren, Meike S. Thijssen, Nathalie Vaes, Werend Boesmans, Veerle Melotte
Summary: Nerves play a significant role in influencing the progression of colorectal cancer by secreting signaling molecules or stimulating nerve growth. Understanding the role of the nervous system in colorectal cancer can lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martina Montanari, Paola Imbriani, Paola Bonsi, Giuseppina Martella, Antonella Peppe
Summary: The enteric nervous system (ENS), composed of neurons and glial cells, regulates the motor and secretory functions of the gastrointestinal tract. Dysfunction of the connections between the brain and the GI tract is implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD). Alterations in the ENS, including α-synuclein aggregation, occur early in the disease and spread to the central nervous system. This review highlights the role of the ENS in PD pathogenesis and its potential as a target for new therapeutic approaches.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timna Inlender, Einat Nissim-Eliraz, Rhian Stavely, Ryo Hotta, Allan M. Goldstein, Simcha Yagel, Michael J. Gutnick, Nahum Y. Shpigel
Summary: There are significant differences in the prenatal and postnatal development of mucosal enteric glial cells (mEGC) between mice and humans, with mEGCs absent at birth in mice but already present in human fetal gut. Additionally, xenograft experiments show that human mEGCs are more persistent in immuno-compromised mouse hosts compared to murine mEGCs. Single cell RNAseq also indicates disparities in developmental dynamics and gene expression patterns between human and mouse mEGCs.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julia Doroszkiewicz, Magdalena Groblewska, Barbara Mroczko
Summary: The interaction between the gut microbiome and the brain plays a significant role in the development of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychological disorders. Balanced gut microbiota composition presents new potential opportunities for therapeutic interventions in these diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Developmental Biology
Yi-Ning Kang, Candice Fung, Pieter Vanden Berghe
Summary: This review focuses on the innervation of the gut during embryonic development, highlighting the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic nerves in ensuring proper gut function. The three-dimensional architecture of innervation and the differences in development along the longitudinal and circumferential axes of the gut are discussed. In addition, the formation of intrinsic and extrinsic innervation, as well as the potential influences of external microbial and nutritional cues or neuroimmune interactions on gut innervation development, are reviewed.
Review
Neurosciences
Steven Fried, Eve Wemelle, Patrice D. Cani, Claude Knauf
Summary: This article discusses the interaction between gut microbiota and the brain, focusing on the enteric nervous system as an intermediate partner, and proposes the impact of microbes on the whole body. Research suggests that microbes may influence brain function through the gut-brain axis, affecting neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Sirine Hacene, Alice Le Friec, Franck Desmoulin, Lorenne Robert, Nina Colitti, Juliette Fitremann, Isabelle Loubinoux, Carla Cirillo
Summary: Cell therapy is a promising strategy in regenerative medicine, but the lack of valid cell sources is a limiting factor. The gastrointestinal tract, specifically the enteric nervous system (ENS), has been identified as a valuable source of nerve cells for therapy. Enteric glial cells, with their neurotrophic and neurogenic potential, have shown promise in treating intestinal neuropathies. Additionally, the ENS has therapeutic potential for brain repair, particularly in cases of stroke. The urgency for alternative treatments to rehabilitation in chronic stroke patients is evident. This review explores the pathophysiology of stroke and discusses current therapeutic strategies, with a focus on cell- and biomaterial-based approaches. The anatomical and functional characteristics of the ENS, particularly glial cells, are also presented, highlighting their neurotrophic and neurogenic properties. Preliminary data on a possible therapeutic approach combining ENS-derived cells and a biomaterial are discussed.
Review
Cell Biology
Julio Cesar Claudino dos Santos, Micael Porto Portela Lima, Gerly Anne de Castro Brito, Glauce Socorro de Barros Viana
Summary: The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network linking the gut to the brain, and alterations in the gut microbiome have been associated with dysfunction in this axis and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Inflammation, activation of brain microglia, and alpha-synuclein misfolding are important factors in PD, and it has been proposed that the misfolding of alpha-synuclein might originate in the gut and spread to the brain via the vagus nerve. This review discusses the interaction of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, environmental influences, and the immune system in promoting inflammation and alpha-synuclein misfolding, leading to the early non-motor symptoms of PD.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Madushani Herath, Ellie Cho, Ulrika Marklund, Ashley E. Franks, Joel C. Bornstein, Elisa L. Hill-Yardin
Summary: Mutations in the Nlgn3 gene are associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction. This study characterizes the expression of Nlgn3 in the enteric nervous system using RNA in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence. The results show that Nlgn3 mRNA is expressed in cholinergic and VIP-expressing submucosal neurons, nitrergic and calretinin-containing myenteric neurons, and glial cells. The autism-associated R451C mutation reduces Nlgn3 mRNA expression in cholinergic submucosal neurons and certain myenteric neurons and glial cells. These findings contribute to the understanding of the role of Nlgn3 in GI dysfunction in ASD.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anita J. L. Leembruggen, Gayathri K. Balasuriya, Zhang Jinghong, Shana Schokman, Kristy Swiderski, Joel C. Bornstein, Jess Nithianantharajah, Elisa L. Hill-Yardin
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Kristy Swiderski, Rebecka Bindon, Jennifer Trieu, Timur Naim, Shana Schokman, Mathusi Swaminathan, Anita J. L. Leembruggen, Elisa L. Hill-Yardin, Rene Koopman, Joel C. Bornstein, Gordon S. Lynch
JOURNAL OF NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY
(2020)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Christina M. Wright, Sabine Schneider, Kristen M. Smith-Edwards, Fernanda Mafra, Anita J. L. Leembruggen, Michael Gonzalez, Deepika R. Kothakapa, Jessica B. Anderson, Beth A. Maguire, Tao Gao, Tricia A. Missall, Marthe J. Howard, Joel C. Bornstein, Brian M. Davis, Robert O. Heuckeroth
Summary: Single cell analyses identified genes differentially expressed in myenteric neuron subtypes and revealed new roles for TBX3, GDNF, and NRTN in enteric neuron activity. These findings can help advance molecular diagnostic studies and develop novel therapeutics for bowel motility disorders.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Developmental Biology
Cheng Shi, Pengfei Jiao, Zhiyi Chen, Lan Ma, Siyue Yao
Summary: This review discusses the molecular etiology of congenital craniofacial abnormalities, with a focus on the role and mechanism of noncoding RNAs in regulating craniofacial development. Aberrant expression of noncoding RNAs has been implicated in the pathogenesis of craniofacial abnormalities, providing potential therapeutic targets.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Developmental Biology
Hideru Togashi, Steven Ray Davis, Makoto Sato
Summary: Tile patterns, regulated by cell adhesion molecules, are regular arrangements of cells that play important functional roles in multicellular organisms. The physical constraints and cell adhesion regulate both cell shape and tissue morphogenesis.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Developmental Biology
Armen Khanbabei, Lina Segura, Cynthia Petrossian, Aaron Lemus, Ithan Cano, Courtney Frazier, Armen Halajyan, Donnie Ca, Mariano Loza-Coll
Summary: This article investigates the genetic regulatory mechanisms of Drosophila intestinal stem cells. The study found that most target genes co-regulated by Esg and STAT show a consistent gene expression pattern. However, manipulating these validated targets in vivo rarely replicated the effects of manipulating Esg and STAT, suggesting the presence of complex genetic interactions among the downstream targets of these two master regulator genes.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Developmental Biology
Bayley J. Waters, Zoe R. Birman, Matthew R. Wagner, Julia Lemanski, Barak Blum
Summary: Researchers found that conditional deletion of Robo2 in adult mice led to a significant loss of islet architecture without affecting beta cell identity or function, suggesting that Robo2 plays a role in actively maintaining adult islet architecture. Understanding the factors required for islet architecture maintenance is crucial for developing future diabetes therapies.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Developmental Biology
Rhiannon Clements, Tyler Smith, Luke Cowart, Jennifer Zhumi, Alan Sherrod, Aidan Cahill, Ginger L. Hunter
Summary: Cell protrusions play a crucial role in regulating cell activities during development. By studying the regulation mechanism in fruit fly sensory bristle patterning, it was found that Myosin XV is essential for the dynamics of signaling filopodia and promotes long-range Notch signaling.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Developmental Biology
Margaret Keating, Ryan Hagle, Daniel Osorio-Mendez, Anjelica Rodriguez-Parks, Sarah I. Almutawa, Junsu Kang
Summary: Knock-in reporter (KI) animals are essential for studying gene expression in biomedical research. This study developed a new strategy using minicircle technology and a minimal promoter to enhance knock-in events and establish stable KI transgenic reporter lines. The study also highlighted the importance of selecting the proper KI line due to potential inappropriate influence of genome editing on reporter gene expression.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Developmental Biology
Christian Altbuerger, Meta Rath, Daniel Armbruster, Wolfgang Driever
Summary: This study reveals that Neurog1 and Olig2 transcription factors have differential requirements for the development of dopaminergic neurons, and they integrate local patterning signals and Notch neurogenic selection signaling to specify the progenitor population and initiate neurogenesis and differentiation.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)