Department of Cell Physiology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
J Cell Mol Med. 2010 Jun;14(6A):1199-211. doi: 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2010.01043.x. Epub 2010 Feb 24.
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC)-like cells (ICC-LCs) have been identified in many regions of the urinary tract and male genital organs by immunohistochemical studies and electron microscopy. ICC-LCs are characterized by their spontaneous electrical and Ca(2+) signalling and the cellular mechanisms of their generation have been extensively investigated. Spontaneous activity in ICC-LCs rises from the release of internally stored Ca(2+) and the opening of Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channels to generate spontaneous transient depolarizations (STDs) in a manner not fundamentally dependent on Ca(2+) influx through L-type voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels. Since urogenital ICC-LCs have been identified by their immunoreactivity to Kit (CD117) antibodies, the often-used specific marker for ICC in the gastrointestinal tract, their functions have been thought likely to be similar. Thus ICC-LCs in the urogenital tract might be expected to act as either electrical pacemaker cells to drive the smooth muscle wall or as intermediaries in neuromuscular transmission. However, present knowledge of the functions of ICC-LCs suggests that their functions are not so predetermined, that their functions may be very region specific, particularly under pathological conditions. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the location and function of ICC-LCs in various organs of the urogenital system. We also discuss several unsolved issues regarding the identification, properties and functions of ICC-LCs in various urogenital regions in health and disease.
通过免疫组织化学研究和电子显微镜观察，在许多泌尿道和男性生殖器官区域已经鉴定出 Cajal 间质细胞（ICC）样细胞（ICC-LC）。ICC-LC 的特征是自发性电和 Ca(2+)信号，并且已经广泛研究了其产生的细胞机制。ICC-LC 中的自发性活动源于内部储存的 Ca(2+)的释放和 Ca(2+)-激活的 Cl(-)通道的开放，以产生不依赖于通过 L 型电压依赖性 Ca(2+)通道的 Ca(2+)内流的方式产生自发性瞬变去极化（STD）。由于泌尿道 ICC-LC 通过对 Kit（CD117）抗体的免疫反应性被鉴定出来，Kit 抗体是胃肠道中 ICC 的常用特异性标志物，因此它们的功能可能相似。因此，泌尿道中的 ICC-LC 可能作为驱动平滑肌壁的电起搏器细胞，或者作为神经肌肉传递的中间介质发挥作用。然而，目前对 ICC-LC 功能的认识表明，它们的功能不是预先确定的，它们的功能可能非常具有区域特异性，特别是在病理条件下。在这篇综述中，我们总结了对泌尿道系统各种器官中 ICC-LC 位置和功能的最新理解。我们还讨论了关于 ICC-LC 在健康和疾病的各种泌尿道区域中的鉴定、特性和功能的几个未解决的问题。
