Which two plexuses form the enteric nervous system?

Which two plexuses form the enteric nervous system?

• A. Auerbach's plexus and Pacinian corpuscles
• B. Myenteric plexus and Meissner's plexus
• C. Submucosal and dorsal root ganglia
• D. Meissner's plexus and sympathetic chain

Answer: (B)

The enteric nervous system is built from two intrinsic plexuses that coordinate gut function: the myenteric (Auerbach) plexus, which sits between the circular and longitudinal muscle layers and mainly governs gut motility, and the submucosal (Meissner) plexus, located in the submucosa and mainly regulates local secretions, blood flow, and absorption. Together, they enable the gut to move and secrete in a coordinated way, with modulation from the autonomic nervous system. The other options mix in structures that aren’t part of the enteric network—Pacinian corpuscles are skin touch receptors, dorsal root ganglia are peripheral sensory bodies, and the sympathetic chain is part of the sympathetic system outside the intrinsic gut network.

The enteric nervous system is built from two intrinsic plexuses that coordinate gut function: the myenteric (Auerbach) plexus, which sits between the circular and longitudinal muscle layers and mainly governs gut motility, and the submucosal (Meissner) plexus, located in the submucosa and mainly regulates local secretions, blood flow, and absorption. Together, they enable the gut to move and secrete in a coordinated way, with modulation from the autonomic nervous system. The other options mix in structures that aren’t part of the enteric network—Pacinian corpuscles are skin touch receptors, dorsal root ganglia are peripheral sensory bodies, and the sympathetic chain is part of the sympathetic system outside the intrinsic gut network.