| Research Abstract |
The autonomic nervous system appears to play an important role in the biliary ducts, as well as in the digestive tract. In this study, the distribution of nerves in various parts of the biliary ducts were examined in detail using immunohistochemistry and enzymehistochemistry in humans, pigs, monkeys, dogs and humsters. Numerous immunoreactive nerves were seen with antisera against peripheral nerve markers (protein gene product 9.5). These nerves were observed everywhere in the biliary ducts including the hepatic ducts, common bile duct, gallbladder, cystic duct, and the sphincter of the duodenal papilla. In the biliary ducts, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) positive nerve fibers, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) containing nerve fibers, and 5 types of peptidergic nerve fibers including neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and enkephalin (EK) were detected. AChE positive nerve fibers, NOS containing nerve fibers and NPY-immunoreactive nerve fibers were abundant, but the other nerve fibers were scarce. Further more, AChE positive nerve cells and NOS containing nerve colls were scattered throughout the biliary ducts. The result of this study suggests that various types of nerves mediate the maintenance of functional states in the biliary ducts, including the transport, storage and excretion of bile juice.
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