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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Oct 23.
Published in final edited form as: Dev Dyn. 2014 Sep 22;244(1):56–68. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.24178

Fig. 8. Sympathetic axons follow intestinal arteries to reach the myenteric plexus prior to integrating with existing enteric nerves.

Fig. 8.

A-A’: At E13.5, TH+/TuJ1+ sympathetic axons are found adjacent to the proximal region of the SMA (open arrowheads). B-B’: As angiogenic remodeling continues, these axons extend along intestinal arteries to reach the gut wall (open arrowheads). C-C’: Upon reaching the myenteric ENS plexus via the vasa recta, sympathetic axons rapidly defasciculate and follow existing enteric nerve bundles (arrows), suggesting that components of the ENS actively recruit sympathetic nerves (SMA, superior mesenteric artery; IA, intestinal artery). D-E: Sympathetic nerves rapidly extend throughout the ENS. Significant TH signals are found within every enteric ganglion (open arrowheads indicate sympathetic nerves aligned with arteries; arrows indicate sympathetic nerves aligned with enteric nerves). Sympathetic axon extension along unmyelinated axon bundles suggests that enteric neurons may be providing axon guidance cues. Scale bars = 100 μm except where indicated.