Interstitial cell of Cajal

Not to be confused with Interstitial nucleus of Cajal and Horizontal cells of Cajal.
For the cell in the midbrain, see Rostral interstitial nucleus of medial longitudinal fasciculus.

Interstitial cell of Cajal
Details
Identifiers
Latincellulae interstitiales stimulantes[1]
MeSHD056885
FMA86573
Anatomical terminology

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are interstitial cells found in the gastrointestinal tract. There are different types of ICC with different functions. ICC and another type of interstitial cell, known as platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) cells, are electrically coupled to smooth muscle cells via gap junctions, that work together as an SIP functional syncytium.[2] Myenteric interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC-MY) serve as pacemaker cells that generate the bioelectrical events known as slow waves.[3] Slow waves conduct to smooth muscle cells and cause phasic contractions.[4][5]

An isolated Interstitial cell of Cajal from the myenteric plexus of the mouse small intestine grown in a primary cell culture.

The picture to the right shows an isolated Interstitial cell of Cajal from the Myenteric plexus of the mouse small intestine grown in a primary cell culture. This cell type can be characterized morphologically as having a small cell body often triangular or stellate-shaped with several long processes branching out into secondary and tertiary extensions - these processes often contact smooth muscle cells. They have contractile behaviour in both the cell body and the extended processes.

  1. ^ "Duodenum Dr.Jastrows EM-Atlas". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  2. ^ Song, NN; Xu, WX (25 October 2016). "[Physiological and pathophysiological meanings of gastrointestinal smooth muscle motor unit SIP syncytium]". Sheng li xue bao: [Acta Physiologica Sinica]. 68 (5): 621–627. PMID 27778026.
  3. ^ Thomsen, L.; Robinson, T. L.; Lee, J. C.; Farraway, L. A.; Hughes, M. J.; Andrews, D. W.; Huizinga, J. D. (1 July 1998). "Interstitial cells of Cajal generate a rhythmic pacemaker current". Nature Medicine. 4 (7): 848–851. doi:10.1038/nm0798-848. ISSN 1078-8956. PMID 9662380. S2CID 23987930.
  4. ^ Hennig GW, Spencer NJ, Jokela-Willis S, Bayguinov PO, Lee HT, Ritchie LA, Ward SM, Smith TK, Sanders KM (May 2010). "ICC-MY coordinate smooth muscle electrical and mechanical activity in the murine small intestine". Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 22 (5): e138–51. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2982.2009.01448.x. PMC 2856807. PMID 20059699.
  5. ^ Sanders K, Koh S, Ward S (2006). "Interstitial cells of cajal as pacemakers in the gastrointestinal tract". Annu Rev Physiol. 68: 307–343. doi:10.1146/annurev.physiol.68.040504.094718. PMID 16460275.