Figure 2. Immunohistochemical staining for Kit and PGP 9.5 to demonstrate cellular networks of ICC (green fluorescence of Alexa 488) and nerves (red fluorescence of TRITC), respectively.

a, the network of ICC-MP over the myenteric plexus of the guinea-pig small intestine in which ganglia are orientated parallel to the circular muscle fibres and are connected with thick nerve bundles orientated almost perpendicularly to the ganglia. Scale bar, 80 μm. b, around the myenteric plexus of the guinea-pig colon, ICC-MP are not clearly observed because of their loose arrangement and dense distribution of ICC-CM orientated in a horizontal direction. A few ICC-LM are also seen perpendicularly. Scale bar, 80 μm. c, sparsely distributed ICC–CM in association with rather thick nerve bundles within the circular muscle layer of the guinea-pig small intestine. Scale bar, 40 μm. d, ICC-CM within the circular muscle layer of the guinea-pig gastric corpus. Scale bar, 40 μm.