Abstract
In a model of immunodeficiency due to protein deprivation at weaning, the regional distribution of the parasympathetic ganglia in the small intestine of Wistar rats was studied. Tissue sections were stained with Toluidine Blue at pH 4, where nerve cell bodies in the myenteric and submucous parasympathetic ganglia were observed. The number of parasympathetic ganglia within the myenteric and submucous plexuses of the small intestine from protein free (PF) and protein refed rats (R21 and R39) and their age matched controls were counted. The number of submucous and myenteric ganglia of the PF group is not significantly different from the 20% casein in refed groups. However, there are significant differences when comparing these experimental groups with the control groups. Decrease in parasympathetic ganglia number gave rise to aganglionic intestinal segments. This observation led us to describe what may be a new form of visceral neuropathy induced by severe malnutrition at weaning. Taken together, alterations in two homeostatic major systems, immune and enteric nervous systems, were found in this experimental model.