Key factors in developing the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced post-inflammatory irritable bowel syndrome model in rats

Figure 5 Persistent increases of enterochromaffin cell number and serotonin content in the colon tissue of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome rat model. The colon tissue was collected at 4 wk and 8 wk after trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) administration. Panel A depicts the representative enterochromaffin (EC) cell staining in colon mucosa, the samples were from rats treated with saline (A1), or TNBS (A2) at 4 wk post TNBS (Scale bar, 100 μm). Statistical analysis of serotonin content is shown in panel (B), and EC cell number in panel (C). Data are shown as mean ± SE, n = 5 per group. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 vs saline-treated rats. 5-HT: 5-hydroxytryptamine.