Enteric Neural Precursor Cells (ENPC) in the Human Gut

(i) To study the structure and organization of the human Enteric Nervous System by tissue clarification, immunofluorescence, and 2-photon and light-sheet microscopy. (ii) To find out the molecular signature that defines various gastrointestinal cells that include the neurons, glia, precursor cells within the Enteric Nervous System and cells associated with the Enteric Nervous System, such as Interstitial Cell of Cajal and macrophages in the human whole gut surgical resection and full thickness endoscopic resection-derived tissues using single cell RNA sequencing and analyses. (iii) To isolate these cells and study their proliferative and neurogenic potential in vitro and on transplantation into the gut tissue of immunodeficient mice. (iv) To time stamp and determine the age of Enteric Nervous System cells in adults and determine whether different enteric disease states alter the cycling times of these cells. (v) To use gut specimens derived from surgical resections and full thickness endoscopic resection-derived tissues for 1. Generating ex vivo preps to study and understand the electrophysiological properties of the gut wall and 2. Generating cultured ex vivo preps to understand the interaction between enteric extracellular matrix and cells of the Enteric Nervous System.