Purinergic contribution to small intestinal afferent hypersensitivity in a murine model of post infectious bowel disease.

Increased sensitivity of the afferent innervation of the gastrointestinal tract reportedly underlies symptoms of discomfort and pain in functional bowel disorders. The present investigation aimed to examine whether the purinergic P2X2 and P2X3 receptor subunits contribute to the mechanosensitivity of small intestinal afferents in normal mice and in a murine model of postinfectious gut dysfunction