| First Author | Vannucchi MG | Year | 2003 |
| Journal | J Cell Physiol | Volume | 197 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 232-42 |
| PubMed ID | 14502563 | Mgi Jnum | J:85623 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2675874 | Doi | 10.1002/jcp.10305 |
| Citation | Vannucchi MG, et al. (2003) Synaptic vesicle morphology and recycling are altered in myenteric neurons of mice lacking dystrophin (mdx mice). J Cell Physiol 197(2):232-42 |
| abstractText | Several dystrophin isoforms are known. The full-length isoform is present in striated and smooth muscles and neurons and its lack causes Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive myopathy accompanied by mild cognitive deficits and gastrointestinal dismotility. An ultrastructural study was undertaken in the colon of mice lacking full-length dystrophin and maintaining shorter isoforms (mdx mice) to ascertain whether myenteric neurons have an altered morphology. Results showed a significant increase in the size of synaptic vesicle and in the number of recycling vesicles. An enlargement of endoplasmic reticulum cisternae in a subpopulation of neurons was also seen. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that the shorter isoforms were expressed in mdx mice myenteric neurons. These findings indicate the presence of a neuropathy at the myenteric plexus which might justify the defective neuronal control of gastrointestinal motility reported for these animals and which might be correlated with full-length dystrophin loss, since the shorter isoforms are present. |
