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Neural Regulation of Colonic Motor Function

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Abstract

Colonic motility is complex, consisting of storage, mixing, and propulsive functions. The tunica muscularis of the colon consists of a longitudinal muscle layer at the serosal aspect and a circular muscle layer at the submucosal aspect. The longitudinal muscle layer in the human is primarily organized into three muscular cables known as the taenia coli. These are spaced at equal intervals around the colon, and between the taenia is a thin layer of muscle cells arranged in the longitudinal direction. The taenia converge towards the end of the sigmoid colon to form the continuous longitudinal muscle coat of the rectum and internal anal sphincter (IAS). The circular muscle layer is continuous along the length of the colon and near the anus to form the IAS. The smooth muscle layers, by the actions of pacemaker cells and by intrinsic excitability of smooth muscle cells can generate spontaneous mechanical activity. However, this activity could not accomplish the tasks necessary for productive colonic motility without the superimposition of enteric neural activity, which, in turn, is modulated by the autonomic nervous system. Together these nerves control, to a large extent, the contractile behavior of muscles and produce normal motility. In this chapter, the basic anatomy and physiology of the neurons and postjunctional mechanisms that regulate colonic motor function are described.

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Authors
  1. Kenton M. Sanders
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  2. Terence K. Smith
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    Timothy R. Koch MD

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© 2003 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Sanders, K.M., Smith, T.K. (2003). Neural Regulation of Colonic Motor Function. In: Koch, T.R. (eds) Colonic Diseases. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-314-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-314-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-9740-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-314-9

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