The enteric nervous system : new developments and emerging concepts

Abstract

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is an integrative neuronal network, organized in two ganglionated plexuses, myenteric and submucosal, composed of neurons and enteric glial cells, controlling the activity of the smooth muscle of the gut, mucosal secretion and blood flow. The ENS contains as many neurons as the spinal cord, and the functional and chemical diversity of enteric neurons closely resembles that of the central nervous system. This highly integrated neural system is also referred to as the ‘brain-in-the-gut’, because of its capability to function in the absence of nerve inputs from the central nervous system.