Figure 4.

Bilateral application of DiI to the nodose ganglia at E16 identifies vagal sensory terminals in the gut. Sections are double labeled with antibodies to laminin. (A) Coronal section of abdomen. Laminin is seen most prominently in the bowel and pancreas. The locations corresponding to panels B and C are identified (yellow arrows). (B) Stomach. DiI-labeled punctate terminals of vagal sensory axons are seen in the myenteric plexus, in close proximity to a ganglion, possibly forming an IGLE. The DiI-labeled sensory terminals are very close to, but do not cross the areas where laminin immunoreactivity is highly concentrated. (C) Small bowel. DiI-labeled nerve terminals extend into the outer mesenchyme of the bowel wall, but are located between areas of concentrated laminin. Scale bars = 200 μm in A; 25 μm in B, 10 μm in C.