Ibba Manneschi L, Pacini S, Corsani L, Bechi P, Faussone-Pellegrini M S
Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Histol Histopathol. 2004 Oct;19(4):1153-64. doi: 10.14670/HH-19.1153.
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are distributed throughout the gastrointestinal muscle coat with a region-specific location, and are considered to be pace-maker and/or mediators of neurotransmission. Little is known about their shape, size, distribution and relationships with excitatory and inhibitory nerves in human stomach. With this aim, we labeled the ICC, using c-Kit immunohistochemistry, followed by a quantitative analysis to evaluate the distribution and area occupied by these cells in the circular and longitudinal muscle layers and at the myenteric plexus level in the human fundus, corpus and antrum. Furthermore, by NADPH-d histochemistry and substance P (SP) immunohistochemistry, we labeled and quantified nitric oxide (NO)-producing and SP-containing nerves and evidenced their relationships with the ICC in these three gastric regions. In the fundus, the ICC appeared as bipolar cells and in the corpus and antrum they mainly appeared as multipolar cells, with highly ramified processes. The networks formed by ICC differed in the three gastric regions. The ICC number was significantly higher and cell area smaller in the fundus compared to the corpus and antrum. The area occupied by the ICC was significantly higher at the myenteric plexus level compared with circular and longitudinal muscle layers. Everywhere, NADPH-d-positive nerves were more numerous than SP-positive ones. Both kinds of fibers were closely apposed to the ICC in the corpus and antrum. In conclusion, in the human stomach, the ICC have region-specific shape, size and distribution and in the corpus and antrum have close contact with both inhibitory and excitatory nerves. Presumably, as suggested for laboratory mammals, these differences are in relationship with the motor activities peculiar to each gastric area.
Cajal间质细胞（ICC）分布于整个胃肠道肌层，具有区域特异性定位，被认为是神经传导的起搏点和/或介质。关于它们在人胃中的形状、大小、分布以及与兴奋性和抑制性神经的关系，人们知之甚少。出于这个目的，我们使用c-Kit免疫组织化学标记ICC，随后进行定量分析，以评估这些细胞在人胃底、胃体和胃窦的环形和纵形肌层以及肌间神经丛水平的分布和所占面积。此外，通过NADPH-d组织化学和P物质（SP）免疫组织化学，我们标记并量化了产生一氧化氮（NO）的神经和含SP的神经，并证明了它们在这三个胃区域与ICC的关系。在胃底，ICC表现为双极细胞，在胃体和胃窦，它们主要表现为多极细胞，具有高度分支的突起。ICC形成的网络在三个胃区域有所不同。与胃体和胃窦相比，胃底的ICC数量显著更高，细胞面积更小。与环形和纵形肌层相比，ICC在肌间神经丛水平所占面积显著更高。在各处，NADPH-d阳性神经比SP阳性神经更多。在胃体和胃窦，这两种纤维都与ICC紧密相邻。总之，在人胃中，ICC具有区域特异性的形状、大小和分布，并且在胃体和胃窦与抑制性和兴奋性神经都有密切接触。据推测，正如对实验哺乳动物所建议的那样，这些差异与每个胃区域特有的运动活动有关。
