Kaoping Guan and Hui Li contributed equally to this work.
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Original Article
Defective development of sensory neurons innervating the levator ani muscle in fetal rats with anorectal malformation
Article first published online: 26 FEB 2009
DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20576
Copyright © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Issue
Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology
Volume 85, Issue 7, pages 583–587, July 2009
Additional Information
How to Cite
Guan, K., Li, H., Fan, Y., Wang, W. and Yuan, Z. (2009), Defective development of sensory neurons innervating the levator ani muscle in fetal rats with anorectal malformation. Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, 85: 583–587. doi: 10.1002/bdra.20576
- †
Kaoping Guan and Hui Li contributed equally to this work.
Publication History
- Issue published online: 8 JUL 2009
- Article first published online: 26 FEB 2009
- Manuscript Accepted: 23 JAN 2009
- Manuscript Revised: 20 JAN 2009
- Manuscript Received: 5 DEC 2008
Funded by
- National Natural Science Foundation of China. Grant Numbers: 30872705, 30571934
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- congenital anorectal malformation;
- neural tube defects;
- sensory neurons;
- innervation;
- levator ani muscle
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Defects of the pelvic nerve innervation of levator ani muscle are associated with poor postoperative anorectal function in patients with anorectal malformation (ARM). We have previously shown deficient development of motoneurons innervating the levator ani muscle in rats with ARM. In this study we investigate whether there is a deficiency in the development of sensory neurons that innervate the levator ani muscle in rats with ARM.
METHODS:
ARM was induced by ethylenethiourea (ETU) in fetal rats. Retrograde tracer fluorogold (FG) was injected into the levator ani muscle. Serial transverse sections encompassing the entire length of the lumbosacral spinal cord were examined. The number of FG-labeled sensory neurons was scored and compared between fetuses with ARM and normal fetuses.
RESULTS:
The number of FG-labeled sensory neurons innervating the levator ani muscle in normal control fetuses, ETU-fed fetuses with no malformation, low type of imperforate anus, high type of imperforate anus, and high type of imperforate anus combined with neural tube defects were determined to be (mean ± SEM) 11,804 ± 2362, 10,429 ± 1708, 2886 ± 705, 1026 ± 425, and 964 ± 445, respectively. FG-labeled sensory neurons in fetuses with imperforate anus with or without neural tube defects were significantly fewer than in control and ETU-fed fetuses without malformation (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:
Defective sensory neurons innervating the levator ani muscle is a primary anomaly that coexists with the alimentary tract anomaly in ARM during fetal development. Nerve innervation deficiency of the pelvic muscles contributes to the poor postoperative anorectal functions in ARM patients. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.