Development of the mammalian enteric nervous system

The mammalian enteric nervous system is derived from neural crest cells whi ch invade the foregut and hindgut mesenchyme. It has been established that signalling molecules produced by the mesenchyme of the gut wall play a crit ical role in the development of the mammalian enteric nervous system. Recen t studies have characterised further the role of such molecules and have id entified novel extracellular and intracellular signals that are critical fo r enteric ganglia formation.