Quantification of the intestinal peptide-containing innervation: length density of nerve fibers and total length of nerve supply to the single villus/crypt unit.

Abstract

The application of a morphometric method to the quantification of peptide-containing nerves in the gut is described. It allows a simple estimation of the nerve fiber supply per unit volume of tissue (length density) and the calculation of the total nerve fiber supply per unit of intestinal mucosa (villus/crypt unit).