The<unk>  in humans consists of some 500 million neurons (including the various types of Dogiel cells), 0.5% of the number of neurons in the brain, five times as many as the one hundred million neurons in the human spinal cord, and about as many as in the whole<unk>  system of a cat. The<unk>  is embedded in the lining of the gastrointestinal system, beginning in the esophagus and extending down to the anus. The neurons of the<unk>  are collected into two types of ganglia: myenteric (Auerbach's) and submucosal (Meissner's) plexuses. Myenteric plexuses are located between the inner and outer layers of the muscularis externa, while submucosal plexuses are located in the submucosa. Auerbach's plexus Auerbach's plexus, also known as the myenteric plexus, is a collection of unmyelinated fibers and postganglionic autonomic cell bodies that lie between the circular and longitudinal layers of the muscularis externa in the gastrointestinal tract. It was discovered and named by German neuropathologist Leopold Auerbach. These neurons provide motor inputs to both layers of the muscularis externa and provide both parasympathetic and sympathetic input. The anatomy of the plexus is similar to the anatomy of the central<unk>  system. The plexus includes sensory receptors, such as chemoreceptors and mechanoreceptors, that are used to provide sensory input to the interneurons in the<unk> . The plexus is the parasympathetic nucleus of origin for the vagus nerve and communicates with the medulla oblongata through both the anterior and posterior vagal nerves. Submucosal plexus The submucosal plexus (also known as Meissner's plexus) is found in the submucosal layer of the gastrointestinal tract. It was discovered and named by German physiologist Georg Meissner. It functions as a pathway for the innervation in the mucosa layer of the gastrointestinal wall.
Enteric nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
Central nervous system
Nervous system
Cranial nerves
Reproductive system
Urinary system
Gastrointestinal tract