Here is an H&E stained version of an Auerbach's, or myenteric plexus. Remember that this structure is part of the intrinsic component of the innervation of the intestines. The Auerbach's plexus contains sensory neurons that receive information from nerve endings in the smooth muscle layer regarding the composition of the intestinal content (chemoreceptors) and the degree of expansion of the intestinal wall (mechanoreceptors). Together with the Meissner's plexus found in the submucosa, the Auerbach's plexus is responsible for intestinal contractions.
This bundle of nerves was first described by Leopold Auerbach, a German anatomist, neuropathologist, and histologist. His work was some of the first to define the nervous system via histological staining.
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