Fig. 7. Neural crest-derived cells differentiate into neurons and glia and organize into enteric ganglia.

A: During migration, some NCDCs express markers for neural progenitors such as Phox2b (red). At E10.5, only a small fraction of these progenitors express axonal markers characteristic of mature neurons, such as βIII tubulin (TuJ1, green). B: As NCDCs complete their migration by E13.5, all Phox2b⁺ neural cells are also TuJ1⁺. At this stage, the ENS consists only of a uniform myenteric plexus without clear ganglia. C: By E17.5, neurons have reorganized into characteristic enteric ganglia (arrows) with interganglion axon bundles (open arrowheads). These ganglia are long and narrow, running perpendicular to the length of the gut tube. D: During early NCDC migration at E10.5, differentiated BFABP⁺ glial cells are not detectable (red). E: During the same E11.5-E13.5 period that neural progenitors begin to express axonal markers, glial cells become detectable and are evenly distributed throughout the E13.5 enteric nerve plexus. F: After reorganization of the enteric neural plexus to form ganglia, glial cells are found exclusively around enteric ganglia (arrows) and not axon bundles (open arrowheads) Scale bars = 100 μm.