Characterisation of the Mucosal Immune System in Hirschsprung Disease

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a gastrointestinal neuropathy that affects 1 in 5000 newborns annually. While most patients respond well to corrective surgery, up to half will develop Hirschsprung associated enterocolitis (HAEC) within 12 months. HAEC is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. This thesis provides a comprehensive characterisation of the immune cell populations within the gut wall of HSCR patients and non-HSCR controls to determine the composition, frequency and spatial location of these key cellular populations.