Faussone-Pellegrini Maria-Simonetta, Vannucchi Maria-Giuliana, Alaggio Rita, Strojna Aleksandra, Midrio Paola
Department of Anatomy, Histology and Forensic Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
J Cell Mol Med. 2007 May-Jun;11(3):482-94. doi: 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2007.00043.x.
The so-called interstitial cells of Cajal myenteric plexus (ICC-MP), interstitial cells of Cajal intramuscular (ICC-IM) and interstitial cells of Cajal deep muscular plexus (ICC-DMP) are the three types of ICC endowed within the intestinal muscle coat where they play different roles in gut motility. Studies on ICC ontogenesis showed ICC-MP in the human ileum by 7-9 weeks while information on ICC-IM and ICC-DMP in foetuses and newborns are not exhaustive. Functional recordings in the fasting state of prematurely born babies aged 28-37 weeks showed immature ileal motility. To gain more information on the time of appearance of the three ICC types in the human ileum and on the steps of the acquisition of mature features, we studied by c-kit immuno-histochemistry foetuses aged 17-27 weeks and newborns aged 36-41 weeks. In parallel, the maturative steps of enteric plexuses and muscle layers were immunohistochemically examined by using anti-neuron specific enolase (NSE), anti-S-100 and anti-alpha smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) antibodies. The appearance and differentiation of all the ICC types were seen to occur in concomitance with those of the related nerve plexuses and muscle layers. ICC-MP appeared first, ICC-IM and ICC-DMP later and their differentiation was incomplete at birth. In conclusion, the ICC-MP, the intestinal pacemaker cells, in spite of absence of food intake, are already present during the foetal life and the ICC-IM appear by pre-term life, thus ensuring neurotransmission. The ICC-DMP and their related nerve plexus and smooth muscle cells, i.e. the intestinal stretch receptor, begin to differentiate at birth. These findings might help in predicting neonatal ileal motor behaviour and in interpreting the role of ICC abnormalities in the pathophysiology of intestinal motile disorders of neonates and young children.
所谓的肌间神经丛Cajal间质细胞（ICC-MP）、肌内Cajal间质细胞（ICC-IM）和深肌丛Cajal间质细胞（ICC-DMP）是存在于肠肌层内的三种ICC类型，它们在肠道运动中发挥着不同作用。ICC个体发生学研究表明，人类回肠中的ICC-MP在孕7至9周时出现，而关于胎儿和新生儿ICC-IM及ICC-DMP的信息并不详尽。对28至37周早产婴儿空腹状态下的功能记录显示，回肠运动不成熟。为了获取更多关于人类回肠中三种ICC类型出现时间以及获得成熟特征步骤的信息，我们采用c-kit免疫组织化学方法研究了17至27周的胎儿和36至41周的新生儿。同时，使用抗神经元特异性烯醇化酶（NSE）、抗S-100和抗α平滑肌肌动蛋白（αSMA）抗体对肠神经丛和肌层的成熟步骤进行了免疫组织化学检测。所有ICC类型的出现和分化均与相关神经丛和肌层同步发生。ICC-MP最先出现，ICC-IM和ICC-DMP随后出现，且它们在出生时分化不完全。总之，ICC-MP即肠道起搏细胞，尽管胎儿期未摄入食物，但在胎儿期就已存在，而ICC-IM在早产期出现，从而确保神经传递。ICC-DMP及其相关神经丛和平滑肌细胞，即肠道牵张感受器，在出生时开始分化。这些发现可能有助于预测新生儿回肠运动行为，并解释ICC异常在新生儿和幼儿肠道运动障碍病理生理学中的作用。
