Structure of the myenteric plexus in normal and diseased human ileum analyzed by X-ray virtual histology slices

Figure 6 Series of virtual slices covering 6. 4 μm thickness of the ganglion from one patient. A: Neuron with shrunken pyknotic nucleus and dark cytoplasm containing vacuoles at the edge of the ganglion (arrowhead). A part of the cytoplasm of the pre-apoptotic neuron is present between the telopodes (arrows); B: 2.0 μm deeper from Figure A. The lower telopode was discontinuous (arrows); C: 0.7 μm deeper from Figure B. The two telopodes are intact, and almost all of the cytoplasm between them has disappeared; D: 0.7 μm deeper from Figure C. Pre-apoptotic neurons seem to be in contact with the lower telopode; E: 3.0 μm deeper from Figure D. The pre-apoptotic neuron (arrowhead) lies within the ganglion, without contact with the telopodes. Arrows point to two telopodes on the figures. The scale bar (25 μm) applies to all the subfigures.