Figure 2. Transplanted gut-derived neurospheres create neuronal networks in aneural colon.
A gut-derived NS (a; inset) was transplanted into aneural E5 chick hindgut (a) and cultured on a CAM for 7 days. Tuj1-immunoreactivity (arrow) was present in the transplanted hindgut (b). No labeling was observed using CN, a chick-specific neuronal antibody, confirming that neurons were mouse-derived (b; inset). Clusters of Tuj1+ cells formed ganglion-like structures extending fine neurites (c, d). ep, epithelium; sm, submucosa; mp, muscularis propria