Figure 7.

Cholinergic activation improves colonic motor activity and attenuates loss of ChAT neurons in DSS colitis. (A) Representative traces of EMG and luminal pressure recordings are shown (scale bar: 10 seconds), with significant increases in both observed in (B) EMG in the light-treated group (sham, n = 5; DSS, n = 6; light, n = 5) and in the (B’) luminal pressure in the light-treated group (n = 5 per group). (C and D) The proportion of cholinergic neurons (ChR2+) relative to total myenteric neurons (Hu) was quantified using whole mount immunofluorescence (sham, n = 3; DSS, n = 4; light, n = 3). Scale bar: 50 μm. Data are shown as means ± SEM. ∗∗P < .01, and ∗∗∗P < .001. LP, luminal pressure.