SummaryIn a human embryo of 12mm crown-rump length, the morphology of the primordial plexus of Auerbach in the small intestine was studied by the aid of tile eleetronmieroseope. At this stage of development, no muscle layers have as yet differentiated. In the outer half of the intestinal wall, small disseminated cell clusters appeared, associated with blood capillaries and encapsulated by a single layer of spindle-shaped cells presumably eon'esponding to the capsular layer of Auerbaeh's plexus in the adult. This capsule is separated from the cell cluster by a subcapsular space. The cell clusters are made up of neuroblasts, developing Schwann cells, and processes emitted by both cell types. The cytoplasm of the neuroblast contains a Golgi complex, mitochondria, endoplasmie retieulum with or without osmiophilie particles, free RNA-particles, tubular structures and densecore bodies. In the cytoplasmic area at the base of the neural process, the cytoplasmic elements mentioned above are especially abundant. The axoplasm of the neuronal process contains dense-core bodies as well as tubular structures having a fairly uniform diameter of 200 to 250 A and extending into the neural process from the perikaryon. The dense-core bodies found in both the perikaryon and the axoplasm of the neuroblasts are similar in size and in shape to the dense bodies described by many authors in mature neurons and assumed to eonta~a neurotransmittors. In addition to the dense-core bodies, the neuroblastie processes occasionally exhibit accumulations of small clear vesicles eomparable to those commonly found in synaptic structures in adult animals. None of other structural details characterizing synaptie junctions could be identified. As yet, there is no evidence that the first appearance of either dense-core or small clear vesieles coincides with the onset of neuronal activity and interneuronal impulse transmission.
Effects of vagotomy on gastric motor activity were studied on 39 patients after vagotomy for gastric or duodenal ulcer by fluoroscopic examination and by monitoring of intragastric pressure using a balloon introduced into the stomach. These patients were divided into three groups according to types of vagotomy; selective proximal vagotomy (SPV), selective vagotomy (SV) and atypical selective proximal vagotomy. In atypical SPV, dorsal antral branches of vagal gastric nerves were sacrificed in addition to conventional SPV because of local conditions around the ulcer. In patients after SPV or atypical SPV, no gastric stasis was observed on fluoroscopic examination. However, marked gastric stasis with delayed emptying was a constant finding in patients after SV, especially at the early postoperative period. In recording of intragastric pressure, basic peristaltic waves of a 20-second rhythm were observed following inflation of the balloon in all patients after any type of vagotomy. In addition, an alternation of active and resting periods of motor activity and confluence of large waves at the end of active period were observed as characteristoc findings in patients after both SPV and atypical SPV. The large waves were considered to coincide with active propulsive movements seen on fluoroscopy in these patients. The results in this study confirmed that good gastric motility could be preserved in patients after SPV and even after atypical SPV.
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