Fig. 1.

The gut microbiota regulates ENS anatomy and function. (A) Intestinal transit in GF mice, GF mice colonized (CONV-D) with microbiota from a CONV-R donor for 3 or 15 d, and CONV-R mice. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01 vs. GF; N.S., not significant; one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s post hoc test. (B) Representative images of the LMMP of the colon showing pan-neuronal marker HuC/D (green) and neuron-specific beta-III tubulin (Tuj1, red). (C and D) Quantification of HuC/D⁺ cells (C) and the Tuj1⁺ area (D). (E and F) Representative images (E) and quantification (F) of the innervation of the colonic crypts of the mice using the peripheral neuronal marker Tuj1. *P < 0.05 vs. GF; N.S., not significant; Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post hoc test. (Scale bars: 50 µm.)