Physiological Modulation of Intestinal Motility by Enteric Dopaminergic Neurons and the D2 Receptor: Analysis of Dopamine Receptor Expression, Location, Development, and Function in Wild-Type and Knock-Out Mice

Dopaminergic neurons are present in both plexuses of the murine bowel and are upregulated after extrinsic denervation but play unknown roles in enteric nervous system (ENS) physiology. Transcripts encoding dopamine (DA) receptors D1-D5 were analyzed by reverse transcription-PCR in stomach approximately duodenum approximately ileum approximately proximal > > distal colon. Dissected muscle and myenteric plexus contained transcripts encoding D1-D3 …