Structural Alterations in Diverticular Disease.

Clinicians appreciate the structural alterations of diverticular disease when navigating narrow, angulated colons with a colonoscope or removing stiff, fixed sigmoid colons at surgery. Investigation of these tissues reveals increased thickness of smooth muscle, alterations in the amount and structure of the extracellular matrix, and changes to the motility of the colon. More sophisticated technologies now allow scientists to unravel the connections between these alterations and the individual genetic background. This article explores the structural alterations of diverticular disease including collagen, smooth muscle, the enteric nervous system, and the interstitial cells of Cajal.