Temporal and spatial development of intestinal smooth muscle layers of human embryos and fetuses

The sequential occurrence of three layers of smooth muscle layers (SML) in human embryos and fetus is not known. Here, we investigated the process of gut SML development in human embryos and fetuses and compared the morphology of SML in fetuses and neonates. The H&E, Masson trichrome staining, and Immunohistochemistry were conducted on 6-12 gestation week human embryos and fetuses and on normal neonatal intestine. We showed that no lumen was seen in 6-7(th) gestation week embryonic gut, neither gut wall nor SML was developed in this period. In 8-9(th) gestation week embryonic and fetal gut, primitive inner circular SML (IC-SML) was identified in a narrow and discontinuous gut lumen with some vacuoles. In 10(th) gestation week fetal gut, the outer longitudinal SML (OL-SML) in gut wall was clearly identifiable, both the inner and outer SML expressed alpha-SMA. In 11-12(th) gestation week fetal gut, in addition to the IC-SML and OL-SML, the muscularis mucosae started to develop as revealed by alpha-SMA immune-reactivity beneath the developing mucosal epithelial layer. Comparing with the gut of fetuses of 11-12(th) week of gestation, the muscularis mucosae, IC-SML, and OL-SML of neonatal intestine displayed different morphology, including branching into glands of lamina propria in mucosa and increased thickness. In conclusions, in the human developing gut between week-8 to week-12 of gestation, the IC-SML develops and forms at week-8, followed by the formation of OL-SML at week-10, and the muscularis mucosae develops and forms last at week-12.