Research Paper Volume 11, Issue 13 pp 4641—4653

Figure 4. Decrease of the space between the nerve trunk and the ICs ring-boundary layer formed by several ICs in MP with age. In the 5-day group, the loose boundary layer surrounded the nerve trunk (A). In the 40-day group, the boundary layer was obviously close to the nerve trunk (B). Higher magnification views of the square frames in (B), the close relationship among IC₂-IC₃-IC₄. In 70-day group, the close-knit ring-boundary layer was closest to the nerve trunk. Higher magnification views of the square frame 1,2,3,4 in (C), the several ICs with close connections at the arrows between IC1-IC₂(a), IC₂-IC₃(b), IC₃-ICi₁(c), and the same close connections at the arrow between ICi₂-NF (d) was observed in the rumen MP. A vessel blood was also found close to the ring-boundary. IC, interstitial cell; ICi, interstitial cells in the nerve trunk; NF, nerve fiber; SMA, Smooth muscle; ax, axon; V, vessel blood. (Bar = 1μm in A, Bar = 4μm in B; Bar =3 μm in C.)