Figure 3.

Myenteric neuron numbers. (A) Neuron number per ganglion was counted in 9 regions of colon (Figure 2D1–D9) of ChAT reporter mice immunostained for HuC/D and calbindin, calretinin, or NOS. Minimally, 50 ganglia were counted for each region. (A) Data were analyzed using 1-way ANOVA and the Tukey multiple comparison test. ∗P < .05, ∗∗∗P < .001. There was no significant difference between regions at the transition zone. Inset: ganglion size for proximal (Figure 2D2), middle (Figure 2D5), and distal colon (Figure 2D8) in wild-type reporter mice. (B) The number of neurons appearing as single isolated cells (B1 and B2), doublets (B1 and B4), or groups of 3–5 (B1 and B5), was counted in the proximal (Figure 2B1) middle (Figure 2B2), and distal colon (Figure 2B3) of samples immunolabeled with antibodies specific for enhanced green flourescent protein or TdTomato, calretinin, or calbindin and HuC/D. (B1) The percentage of neurons is shown for the proximal, middle, and distal colon; the bar symbols are defined on the graph. Scale bars: 100 μm (A, insets), and 50 μm (B2–B5).