The presence of nerve fibres in the gut lymphoid tissue of the cat

The aim of the study was to follow the distribution of the nerve fibres in the gut lymphoid tissue in the cat. For this purpose an indirect immunohistochemical method and acetylated alfa-tubulin antibody was used. Two portions of the intestine were involved in this study: the ileum and colon. Nerve fibres for lymphoid nodules arise from the nerve plexus located in the submucous and mucose connective tissue. Most of the related nerve fibres were seen in the submucosal space and at the base of the lymphatic nodules in a relationship with blood vessels. From the submucous layer nerve fibres run in septa radially between the ileal internodular space of Payer¦s patches. Fine nerve fibres reach the lining gut epithelium at the sides and top of the dome. In the colon nerve fibres run around the single lymphatic nodules. Positive enteric nerve fibres are in both organs, located at the periphery of the lymphatic nodules. Only a few nerve fibres enter the peripheral zone of the lymphatic nodules and no positive nerve fibres were found in the central area of the lymphatic nodules of the ileum and colon.