The subserosal ganglia of the human taenia.

Specimens of the taenia from the sigmoid colon of female patients undergoing surgery for carcinoma of the rectum were studied histochemically and immunohistochemically for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-, substance P (SP)-, somatostatin (SOM)-, neuropeptide Y (NPY)-, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)- and Met-enkephalin (mENK)-immunoreactivity. Autonomic ganglia were observed on the serosal surface of the longitudinal muscle of the taenia. The subserosal ganglia contained SP-, mENK-, NPY-, SOM-, but not CGRP- or VIP-immunoreactive nerve fibres. In addition, they contained SP-, mENK- and NPY-, but not CGRP-, SOM- and VIP-immunoreactive nerve cell bodies (although CGRP- and VIP-immunoreactive nerve fibres were observed in the longitudinal muscle of the taenia). AChE-activity was found both in nerve fibres and nerve cell bodies in these ganglia. The greatest numbers of nerve cell bodies contained AChE, followed in decreasing order by SP, mENK and NPY. The possible function of the subserosal ganglia of the human taenia is discussed.