Abstract: Objective To observe the morphological changes of enteric nerve-interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) network in rats with the bacterial peritonitis, and to investigate the main cause of gastrointestinal dysfunction and gastrointestinal failure with the bacterial peritonitis. Methods Sixty Wistar rats of both sexes were randomly divided into two groups. The model of the bacterial peritonitis was established.To record the frequency and amplitude of slow wave in myoelectricity of intestine EM>in vivo/EM> to assess the function of the intestine motility. The proximal 10。0 cm segment of jejunum beginning 2 cm distal to the pylorus from each group was studied using cKit and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT)/ neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) immunohistochemical double-staining with wholemount preparation technique and laser scanning confocal microscopy(CLSM). Results Compared the result of the bacterial peritonitis group with the normal group, it was found that the frequency and amplitude of slow wave in myoelectricity of intestine of the bacterial peritonitis group were slower and lower than the normal group, CLSM scanned ICC network showed that compared with the control group, the distributions and densities of ICC of intestine in the bacterial peritonitis group decreased significantly(EM>P /EM><0.01）, the number of ICC synapse decreased, the cell junction between ICC and the ICC network was disrupted, and the fluorescence intension of cell decreased. CLSM scanned enteric nerveICC network indicated that compared with the control group, in the bacterial peritonitis group, the distributions and densities of cholinergic nerves (P <0.01）/ nitrergic nerves(EM>P/EM> <0.01）and ICC(EM>P /EM><0.01）of intestine significantly decreased respectively, the cell junction between enteric nerve and enteric nerve-ICC network was disrupted, and the fluorescence intension of enteric nerve-ICC network decreased. the network of cholinergic/nitrergic nerve-ICC was disrupted. Conclusion The number of cholinergic nerves and nitrergic nerves were reduced, and the enteric nerveICC network was damag

Key words: Bacterial peritonitis, Interstitial cells of Cajal, Enteric nerve, Immunofluorescence, Rat