The development of cell-cell communication and neural circuits in the enteric nervous system.

The development of the nervous system is vital to establishing a functioning organism. The enteric nervous system controls the function of the gastrointestinal tract, and is crucial for controlling the movement of food through the small and large intestines. Errors in the development of the enteric nervous system could be the underlying cause of many gastrointestinal disorders, particularly paediatric motility disorders, where children have functional defects in the control of their gastrointestinal tract, such as chronic constipation. The nerve cells of the enteric nervous system are wired together to form the neuronal circuits that control motility. One possible reason why these gastrointestinal disorders develop is that there are defects in the wiring of these neuronal circuits during embryonic development. However, very little is known about how the nerve cells connect up with each other into circuits during normal development. In this project, we will begin to address this issue and examine how enteric nerve cells form functional electrical circuits using microscopic imaging to monitor the electrical activity in the cells. This will lead to future studies to understand why abnormal wiring of the circuits can sometimes occur, and ultimately to a better understanding of paediatric motility disorders.