Department of Gastroenterology F, Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Niels Andersensvej 65, 2900, Hellerup, Denmark.
Cell Tissue Res. 2011 Jun;344(3):471-9. doi: 10.1007/s00441-011-1175-9. Epub 2011 May 13.
The role of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in chronic inflammatory bowel disease, i.e., ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), remains unclear. Ultrastructural alterations in ICC in the colonic myenteric plexus (ICC-MP) have been reported previously in UC, but descriptions of ICC-MP and other interstitial cells in the myenteric region of the colon are lacking for CD. In the present study, we characterized the ultrastructure of interstitial cells, nerves, and glial cells in the myenteric region in Crohn's colitis (CC). In comparison with controls, varicosities of the myenteric bundles were dilated and appeared to be empty. Lipid droplets and lipofuscin-bodies were prominent in glial cells and neurons. ICC-MP were scanty but, as in controls, had caveolae, prominent intermediate filaments, cytoplasmic dense bodies, and membrane-associated dense bands with a patchy basal lamina. ICC-MP were similar in the various colonic regions. ICC-MP in CC showed no signs of degeneration or cytological changes. As in controls, fibroblast-like cells had abundant coated vesicles but lacked prominent intermediate filaments and caveolae. Macrophages also appeared as in controls. In comparison with ICC-MP in UC, the cytology of ICC-MP in CC were thus undisturbed. The ultrastructural differences between UC and CC might reflect pathophysiological differences of importance for understanding pathogenetic differences between CD and UC.
Cajal 间质细胞（ICC）在慢性炎症性肠病（例如溃疡性结肠炎（UC）和克罗恩病（CD））中的作用尚不清楚。先前在 UC 中已经报道了结肠肌间神经丛（ICC-MP）中 ICC 的超微结构改变，但缺乏 CD 中 ICC-MP 和其他间质细胞的描述。在本研究中，我们对克罗恩病结肠炎（CC）的肌间区间质细胞、神经和神经胶质细胞的超微结构进行了特征描述。与对照组相比，肌间束的静脉曲张扩张，似乎为空。神经胶质细胞和神经元中明显存在脂滴和脂褐素体。ICC-MP 稀少，但与对照组一样，具有小窝、明显的中间丝、细胞质致密体和伴有斑片状基底层的膜相关致密带。CC 中的 ICC-MP 在各种结肠区域相似。CC 中的 ICC-MP 没有退化或细胞学变化的迹象。与对照组一样，成纤维样细胞具有丰富的被覆小泡，但缺乏明显的中间丝和小窝。巨噬细胞也与对照组相似。与 UC 中的 ICC-MP 相比，CC 中的 ICC-MP 的细胞学因此未受干扰。UC 和 CC 之间的超微结构差异可能反映了对理解 CD 和 UC 之间发病机制差异具有重要意义的病理生理差异。
