Fig. 3.

HFD reduces intestinal nitrergic myenteric neurons in both male and female mice. In both duodenum and colon, HFD mice of both sexes had lower numbers of nNOS neurons per ganglionic area than SCD mice (a, c). Likewise, the overall amount of nNOS immunoreactivity (area of stained neurons and varicosities per ganglion area; density index) was reduced in HFD mice of both sexes (b, d). nNOS immunoreactivity was higher in SCD female mice than SCD male mice (b, d). Pictures are sample images showing nNOS staining in colon myenteric ganglia of SCD-M (e), HFD-M (f), SCD-F (g) and HFD-F (h) mice. F and h show fewer nNOS neurons compared to e and g, respectively. White asterisks indicate areas of reduced nNOS immunoreactivity.