Department of Anatomy, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-746, South Korea.
Microsc Res Tech. 2009 Dec;72(12):951-6. doi: 10.1002/jemt.20743.
The relationship between the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and enteric nerves or smooth muscles cells is not fully defined. Presently, distribution and appearance of ICC in the rat stomach and duodenum was studied by immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and three-dimensional reconstruction. c-kit expressing ICC were regularly observed in the Auerbach's myenteric plexus (AP) of the stomach and duodenum. ICC in stomach and duodenum muscle layers was dissimilarly distributed. c-kit immunoreactive cells were sparsely distributed in the stomach circular muscle layer but were abundant in the duodenum deep muscular plexus (DMP). Electron microscopy revealed that stomach ICC-AP were irregular ovals with few cytoplasmic processes, and possessed an electron-dense cytoplasm, numerous mitochondria, intermediate filaments, and caveolae. Duodenum and stomach ICC-AP were similar in appearance. Ultrastructure observations and three-dimensional reconstructions revealed ICC-AP processes wrapping the nerve fibers and projecting into the space between smooth muscle cells. While ICC-AP was occasionally close to enteric nerves or smooth muscle cells, no connections were observed. ICC-DMP in duodenum was elongated and adopted the same cell axis orientation as the circular muscle cells. Unlike ICC-AP, ICC-DMP formed gap junctions with smooth muscle cells and had close contact with nerves. These results indicate that ICC-AP is regularly distributed in stomach and duodenum, while ICC-DMP is exclusively located in the duodenum. ICC-DMP, which possess gap junctions and closely contacts nerves, may participate in neuromuscular transmission.
Cajal 间质细胞 (ICC) 与肠神经或平滑肌细胞之间的关系尚未完全明确。目前，通过免疫组织化学、电子显微镜和三维重建研究了大鼠胃和十二指肠中 ICC 的分布和形态。在胃和十二指肠的 Auerbach 肌间神经丛 (AP) 中可观察到表达 c-kit 的 ICC 呈规则分布。胃和十二指肠肌层中的 ICC 呈不同分布。c-kit 免疫反应性细胞在胃环形肌层中稀疏分布，但在十二指肠深肌丛 (DMP) 中丰富。电子显微镜显示胃 ICC-AP 呈不规则椭圆形，细胞质突起较少，细胞质电子密度高，富含线粒体、中间丝和 caveolae。十二指肠和胃 ICC-AP 在外观上相似。超微结构观察和三维重建显示 ICC-AP 突起包裹神经纤维并伸向平滑肌细胞之间的空间。虽然 ICC-AP 偶尔靠近肠神经或平滑肌细胞，但未观察到连接。十二指肠 ICC-DMP 呈长形，与环形肌细胞具有相同的细胞轴取向。与 ICC-AP 不同，ICC-DMP 与平滑肌细胞形成缝隙连接，并与神经密切接触。这些结果表明，ICC-AP 呈规则分布于胃和十二指肠，而 ICC-DMP 仅存在于十二指肠。具有缝隙连接并与神经密切接触的 ICC-DMP 可能参与神经肌肉传递。
