Glial cells in the enteric nervous system

Enteric glial cell (EGC) markers were thoroughly characterized in the human enteric nervous system (ENS) and EGC numbers were compared in man and guinea pig. As a result, the Sox8/9/10 antibody was shown to be an excellent investigative tool to assess EGC in the ENS and the glia index was identified as the most robust quantitative descriptor within a species. Subsequently, this Sox8/9/10 was used in Crohn´s disease specimens to quantify enteric glia. In a parallel approach, interactions of EGC and the intestinal epithelial barrier were analyzed. Results from these experiments indicate a protective effect of EGCs on the intestinal epithelial barrier in intestinal inflammation. The observed expression of GDNF, NGF, NT-3 and their receptors by EGC points to promising targets for further research to elucidate the exact nature of glial-derived mucosa-protective factors.