Pattern formation in enteric nervous system development: Building a complex nervous system and human disease mechanisms Center for Developmental Biology

Home > Seminars and Events > Pattern formation in enteric nervous system development: Building a complex nervous system and human disease mechanisms

Category	Seminar
Date and Time	2010-09-01 16:00 - 17:00
Venue	Auditorium C1F
Speaker	Robert O. Heuckeroth
Affiliation	Washington University School of Medicine
Title	Pattern formation in enteric nervous system development: Building a complex nervous system and human disease mechanisms
Poster	click here to download(PDF)
Host	Hideki Enomoto
Summary	Normal intestinal function requires an integrated network of neurons and glia that controls most aspects of intestinal function. This network called the enteric nervous system (ENS) contains more neurons than the spinal cord and every transmitter found in the central nervous system. These cells are neural crest derivatives and the majority begin in the vagal region of the neural tube before migrating in a proximal to distal direction all the way down the bowel. ENS precursors have a very long migratory route and must extensively proliferate to populate the bowel before differentiating. Many mechanisms are shared in common between the developing central and enteric nervous system, but some unique mechanisms are required to generate the ENS. I will discuss the molecular genetics, cell biology and developmental biology underlying ENS development and how these mechanisms influence human disease.