Agonist-evoked Ca²⁺ signaling in enteric glia drives neural programs that regulate intestinal motility in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Gastrointestinal motility is regulated by enteric neural circuitry that includes enteric neurons and glia. Enteric glia monitor synaptic activity and exhibit responses to neurotransmitters that are encoded by intracellular calcium (Ca²⁺) signaling. What role evoked glial responses play in the neural regulation of gut motility is unknown. We tested how evoking Ca²⁺ signaling in enteric glia affects the neural control of intestinal motility.

Methods

We used a novel chemogenetic mouse model that expresses the designer receptor hM3Dq under the transcriptional control of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter (GFAP::hM3Dq mice) to selectively trigger glial Ca²⁺ signaling. We used in situ Ca²⁺

SUBMITTER: McClain JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4673674 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature