Berezin I, Daniel E E, Huizinga J D
Department of Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1994 Sep;72(9):1049-59. doi: 10.1139/y94-147.
The ultrastructure of canine distal esophagus was studied focusing on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and their relationships to nerves and muscle. The distal esophagus consisted of two muscle layers composed of intertwining skeletal and smooth muscle bundles. The ICC formed an interconnecting network and were an integral part of these structures. The ICC communicated with one another and with adjacent smooth muscle cells through numerous gap junctions. The morphology of individual ICC resembled that observed in other gut regions. All interstitial cells were densely innervated. The highest density of ICC, just proximal to the lower esophageal sphincter, coincided with the previously reported highest incidence of occurrence of electrical slow wave type action potentials. Examination of a large number of structural associations of ICC led us to conclude that in the distal esophagus, two networks of ICC and nerves exist, one associated with the inner muscle layer, another associated with the outer muscle layer. These networks are not sheet-like structures, such as the network of ICC in the myenteric plexus or deep muscular plexus of the small intestine, but are three dimensional and are interspersed throughout both muscle layers. The networks do not extend into Auerbach's plexus. The main branches of the networks run along the long axis of the esophagus and seem ideally suited to facilitate communication in this direction. These observations suggest that esophageal interstitial cells are structurally organized in such a manner that they may play a role in pacemaking and neural control of esophageal motility.
对犬远端食管的超微结构进行了研究，重点关注 Cajal 间质细胞（ICC）及其与神经和肌肉的关系。远端食管由两层肌肉组成，由相互交织的骨骼肌和平滑肌束构成。ICC 形成了一个相互连接的网络，是这些结构的一个组成部分。ICC 通过大量缝隙连接相互之间以及与相邻的平滑肌细胞进行通讯。单个 ICC 的形态与在其他肠道区域观察到的相似。所有间质细胞都有密集的神经支配。ICC 密度最高的部位，恰好在食管下括约肌近端，这与先前报道的电慢波型动作电位出现的最高发生率相吻合。对大量 ICC 的结构关联进行检查后，我们得出结论，在远端食管中存在两个 ICC 和神经网络，一个与内层肌肉相关，另一个与外层肌肉相关。这些网络不是片状结构，如小肠肌间神经丛或深层肌丛中的 ICC 网络，而是三维的，散布于两层肌肉中。这些网络并不延伸至奥尔巴赫神经丛。网络的主要分支沿食管长轴走行，似乎非常适合于促进在这个方向上的通讯。这些观察结果表明，食管间质细胞在结构上的组织方式使其可能在食管运动的起搏和神经控制中发挥作用。
