Characterisation of parasympathetic ascending nerves in human colon v1

This protocol explains how ascending nerves (also called “shunt fascicles”) in the plane of the myenteric plexus of human distal colon can be identified using fluorescence immunohistochemical labelling of wholemount preparations. It includes obtaining and handling live human tissue specimens, fixation, initial labelling to identification with a fluorescence microscope. This protocol was used in: Johnson ME, Humenick A, Peterson RA, Costa M, Wattchow DA, Sia TC, Dinning PG and Brookes SJH (2022). Characterisation of parasympathetic ascending nerves in human colon. Frontiers in Neuroscience: 16:1072002. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.1072002).