Morphoquantitative characteristics of myenteric neurons of the terminal segment of the intestine of Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758) (Osteichthyes, Cyprinidae)

Considering the importance of the myenteric plexus in fishes and the scarcity of data about it, research was undertaken with the purpose of contributing to the characterization of the myenteric plexus in fishes. The terminal segments of intestines of ten adult Cyprinus carpio underwent routine techniques of transverse histological sections of 6 and 10μm in thickness, stained with Weigert-Van Gieson, as well as whole-mount preparations stained with the Giemsa method. The myenteric plexus composed of isolated neurons and ganglia containing groups of two or more neurons was analyzed. Percentages of small, medium and large neurons were 48.8%, 47.6% and 3.6% respectively. Neuronal density in 6.64mm of intestinal segment was 5,099 ± 384.35.