Department of Physiology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2013 Jan-Feb;19(1):3-15. doi: 10.4103/1319-3767.105909.
Gastrointestinal (GI) motility function and its regulation is a complex process involving collaboration and communication of multiple cell types such as enteric neurons, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), and smooth muscle cells. Recent advances in GI research made a better understanding of ICC function and their role in the GI tract, and studies based on different types of techniques have shown that ICC, as an integral part of the GI neuromuscular apparatus, transduce inputs from enteric motor neurons, generate intrinsic electrical rhythmicity in phasic smooth muscles, and have a mechanical sensation ability. Absence or improper function of these cells has been linked to some GI tract disorders. This paper provides a general overview of ICC; their discovery, subtypes, function, locations in the GI tract, and some disorders associated with their loss or disease, and highlights some controversial issues with regard to the importance of ICC in the GI tract.
胃肠道（GI）运动功能及其调节是一个复杂的过程，涉及多种细胞类型的协作和通讯，如肠神经元、Cajal 间质细胞（ICC）和平滑肌细胞。最近的 GI 研究进展使人们更好地了解了 ICC 的功能及其在胃肠道中的作用，并且基于不同类型的技术的研究表明，ICC 作为 GI 神经肌肉装置的一个组成部分，从肠运动神经元传递输入，在阶段性平滑肌中产生固有电节律，并具有机械感觉能力。这些细胞的缺失或功能不当与一些胃肠道疾病有关。本文概述了 ICC；它们的发现、亚型、功能、在胃肠道中的位置，以及与它们缺失或疾病相关的一些疾病，并强调了 ICC 在胃肠道中的重要性方面的一些有争议的问题。
