What are ganglion cells in the colon?

Ganglion cells are required to allow receptive relaxation of the bowel. They are derived from the neural crest and populate the plexuses of Auerbach and Meissner within the bowel wall (Fig. 12-1). Neural crest cells originate in the proximal intestine and migrate distally during development, populating the rectum last.

What is colonic mucosa?

The colonic mucosa is covered by relatively flat mucus-secreting cells and crypts. Several substances serve as growth factors that can positively stimulate epithelial growth. These include gastrin, TGF-α, and TGF-β. The influence of these growth factors is exerted on the stem cell.

Where are ganglion cells?

Ganglion cells are the projection neurons of the vertebrate retina, conveying information from other retinal neurons to the rest of the brain. Their perikarya are the largest of any retinal neurons and are located along the inner margin of the retina, in the ganglion cell layer.

What can be done about immature colonic ganglion cells?

Treatment may be medical in mild cases and more commonly surgical due to complications of the disorder. We present a case of immature colonic ganglion cells as a cause of megacolon in infancy. In our case, medicamentous treatment was eff ective and led to normalization of bowel emptying and stool consistency.

What causes lack of ganglion cells in the intestine?

Defects in the differentiation of neuroblasts into ganglion cells and accelerated ganglion cell destruction within the intestine may also contribute to the disorder. This lack of ganglion cells in the myenteric and submucosal plexus is well documented in Hirschsprung’s disease.

What does lack of ganglion cells in myenteric plexus mean?

This lack of ganglion cells in the myenteric and submucosal plexus is well documented in Hirschsprung’s disease. With Hirschsprung’s disease, the segment lacking neurons (aganglionic) becomes constricted, causing the normal, proximal section of bowel to become distended with feces.

Which is a rare form of immaturity of ganglion cells?

Immaturity of ganglion cells is a rare form of dysganglionosis that belongs to the group of dysmorphic types, characterized by a normal or mildly decreased number of ganglion cells, with the cells and their nuclei being considerably smaller in size.