Zhang Hong-Qi, Lu Shan-Shan, Xu Ting, Feng Yan-Ling, Li Hua, Ge Jun-Bo
Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Chin Med J (Engl). 2015 Feb 5;128(3):348-52. doi: 10.4103/0366-6999.150102.
Telocytes (TCs) are a novel type of interstitial cells, which have been recently described in a large variety of cavitary and noncavitary organs. TCs have small cell bodies, and remarkably thin, long, and moniliform prolongations called telopodes (Tps). Until now, TCs have been found in various loose connective tissues surrounding the arterioles, venules, and capillaries, but as a histological cellular component, whether TCs exist in large arteries remains unexplored.
TCs were identified by transmission electron microscope in the aortic arch of male C57BL/6 mice.
TCs in aortic arch had small cell bodies (length: 6.06-13.02 μm; width: 1.05-4.25 μm) with characteristics of specific long (7.74-39.05 μm), thin, and moniliform Tps; TCs distributed in the whole connective tissue layer of tunica adventitia: TCs in the innermost layer of tunica adventitia, located at the juncture between media and adventitia, with their long axes oriented parallel to the outer elastic membrane; and TCs in outer layers of tunica adventitia, were embedded among transverse and longitudinal oriented collagen fibers, forming a highly complex three-dimensional meshwork. Moreover, desmosomes were observed, serving as pathways connecting neighboring Tps. In addition, vesicles shed from the surface of TCs into the extracellular matrix, participating in some biological processes.
TCs in aorta arch are a newly recognized complement distinct from other interstitial cells in large arteries, such as fibroblasts. And further biologically functional correlations need to be elucidated.
端细胞（TCs）是一种新型的间质细胞，最近在多种有空腔和无空腔的器官中被描述。端细胞具有小的细胞体，以及称为端粒（Tps）的非常细、长且呈念珠状的延长部分。到目前为止，已在围绕小动脉、小静脉和毛细血管的各种疏松结缔组织中发现了端细胞，但作为一种组织学细胞成分，大动脉中是否存在端细胞仍未得到探索。
通过透射电子显微镜在雄性C57BL/6小鼠的主动脉弓中鉴定端细胞。
主动脉弓中的端细胞具有小的细胞体（长度：6.06 - 13.02μm；宽度：1.05 - 4.25μm），具有特定长（7.74 - 39.05μm）、细且呈念珠状的端粒的特征；端细胞分布在外膜的整个结缔组织层中：外膜最内层的端细胞，位于中膜和外膜的交界处，其长轴与外弹性膜平行；外膜外层的端细胞，嵌入横向和纵向排列的胶原纤维之间，形成高度复杂的三维网络。此外，观察到桥粒，作为连接相邻端粒的途径。此外，囊泡从端细胞表面脱落到细胞外基质中，参与一些生物学过程。
主动脉弓中的端细胞是一种新认识的不同于大动脉中其他间质细胞（如成纤维细胞）的细胞类型。并且需要进一步阐明其生物学功能相关性。
