Innervation of interstitial cells of Cajal by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide containing nerves in canine colon

The hypothesis was tested, through structural and functional studies, that interstitial cells of Cajal receive and can respond to direct innervation from nerves containing the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide neuromediator. The submucosal network of interstitial cells of Cajal has been postulated to provide pacemaking activity for the circular muscle and to be involved in neurotransmission from noradrenergic, noncholinergic nerves for which vasoactive intestinal polypeptide is a putative mediator. The distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and substance P immunoreactive material in nerve profiles of the enteric nervous system of the canine colon was examined. In addition, electrophysiological studies were done on the interstitial cells bordering the submucosal side of the circular muscle layer after they were electrically isolated using heptanol. The vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity, located exclusively in nerve large granular vesicles, was found throughout the enteric nervous system (myenteric plexus, submucous plexus, and circular muscle – submucosa interface). The highest proportion (38% compared with 22–24%) of profiles of large granular vesicles with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity was found in nerve profiles of the circular muscle – submucosa interface. In contrast, substance P immunoreactivity was found in nerve profiles of myenteric plexus (33% of large granular vesicles were positive) but not associated with submucosal interstitial cell nerve network. The vasoactive intestinal polypeptide hyperpolarized interstitial cells by 9 mV when electrically isolated by 1 mM heptanol and markedly reduced (about 50%) their input membrane resistance. We conclude that the distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity and its action are consistent with a postulated role of the interstitial cells as a major site of neurally mediated inhibition of colonic pacemaker activity.Key words: enteric nervous system, interstitial cells of Cajal, inhibitory junction potential, nonadrenergic noncholinergic nerves.

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Decreased density of interstitial cells of cajal and malformations of the enteric nervous system in patients with slow transit consitpation and megacolon

Gastroenterology ◽

10.1016/s0016-5085(01)81650-4 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 120 (5) ◽

pp. A332-A332

Author(s):

T WEDEL ◽

J SPIEGLER ◽

S SCHRADER ◽

H VONKOSCHITZKY ◽

U ROBLICK ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Enteric Nervous System ◽

Interstitial Cells Of Cajal ◽

Interstitial Cells ◽

Slow Transit ◽

Cells Of Cajal

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Morphology of the canine pyloric sphincter in relation to function

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology ◽

10.1139/y89-251 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 67 (12) ◽

pp. 1560-1573 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

E. E. Daniel ◽

I. Berezin ◽

H. D. Allescher ◽

H. Manaka ◽

V. Posey-Daniel

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Substance P ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Gap Junctions ◽

Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide ◽

Interstitial Cells Of Cajal ◽

Circular Muscle ◽

Interstitial Cells ◽

Pyloric Sphincter ◽

Cells Of Cajal

The ultrastructure and immunocytochemistry of the canine distal pyloric muscle loop, the pyloric sphincter, were studied. Cells in this muscle were connected by gap junctions, fewer than in the antrum or corpus. The sphincter had a dense innervation and a sparse population of interstitial cells of Cajal. Most such cells were of the circular muscle type but a few were of the type in the myenteric plexus. Nerves were sometimes associated with interstitial cell profiles, but most nerves were neither close to nor associated with interstitial cells nor close to smooth muscle cells. Nerve profiles were characterized by an unusually high proportion of varicosities with a majority or a high proportion of large granular vesicles. Many of these were shown to contain material immunoreactive for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and some had substance P (SP) immunoreactive material. All were presumed to be peptidergic. VIP was present in a higher concentration in this muscle than in adjacent antral or duodenal circular muscle. Interstitial cells of Cajal made gap junctions to smooth muscle and to one another and might provide myogenic pacemaking activity for this muscle, but there was no evidence of a close or special relationship between nerves with VIP or SP and these cells. The absence of close relationships between nerves and either interstitial cells or smooth muscle cells leaves unanswered questions about the structural basis for previous observations of discrete excitatory responses or pyloric sphincter to single stimuli or nerves up to one per second. In conclusion, the structural observations suggest that this muscle has special neural and myogenic control systems and that interstitial cells may function to control myogenic activity of this muscle but not to mediate neural signals.Key words: vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, interstitial cells of Cajal, neuropeptides, gap junctions, substance P.

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A second source of precursor cells for the developing enteric nervous system and interstitial cells of Cajal

International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience ◽

10.1016/s0736-5748(02)00103-x ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 20 (8) ◽

pp. 619-626 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

G.S. Sohal ◽

M.M. Ali ◽

F.A. Farooqui

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Enteric Nervous System ◽

Interstitial Cells Of Cajal ◽

Interstitial Cells ◽

Precursor Cells ◽

Cells Of Cajal

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Neurons and a Subset of Interstitial Cells of Cajal in the Enteric Nervous System Highly Express Stam2 Gene

The Anatomical Record ◽

10.1002/ar.21522 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 295 (1) ◽

pp. 113-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Katarina Kapuralin ◽

Chris Van Ginneken ◽

Marija Curlin ◽

Jean-Pierre Timmermans ◽

Srecko Gajovic

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Enteric Nervous System ◽

Interstitial Cells Of Cajal ◽

Interstitial Cells ◽

Cells Of Cajal

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Neuromuscular structures in opossum esophagus: role of interstitial cells of Cajal

AJP Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpgi.1984.246.3.g305 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 246 (3) ◽

pp. G305-G315 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

E. E. Daniel ◽

V. Posey-Daniel

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Interstitial Cells Of Cajal ◽

Circular Muscle ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Interstitial Cells ◽

Complete Relaxation ◽

Granular Vesicles ◽

Cells Of Cajal

The structures of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and body circular muscle (BCM) from opossum were compared as to neural and muscular structures and the structural relations of interstitial cells of Cajal to nerves and muscle cells. Both LES and BCM were densely innervated by nerves with varicosities containing many small agranular vesicles and a few large granular vesicles. These nerves were more closely related structurally to the interstitial cells of Cajal than to smooth muscle cells. More gap junctions were observed between smooth muscle cells and between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscle cells in BCM than in LES. Those between smooth muscle cells were larger in BCM. Complete relaxation of the LES strip by isoproterenol reduced these differences but did not eliminate them. The finding that interstitial cells of Cajal often had gap-junction contacts to smooth muscle and close associations with nerves is consistent with the hypothesis that interstitial cells are intercalated between the nerves and muscles and may mediate nerve responses. These findings also suggest that LES muscle cells may be less well coupled electrically than BCM muscle cells.

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Spatial relationship between telocytes, interstitial cells of Cajal and the enteric nervous system in the human ileum and colon

Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine ◽

10.1111/jcmm.15013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 3399-3406 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Béla Veress ◽

Bodil Ohlsson

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Enteric Nervous System ◽

Interstitial Cells Of Cajal ◽

Spatial Relationship ◽

Interstitial Cells ◽

Cells Of Cajal

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Abnormalities of the intestinal pacemaker cells, enteric neurons, and smooth muscle in intestinal atresia

Journal of Laboratory Physicians ◽

10.4103/jlp.jlp_94_18 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (03) ◽

pp. 180-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Radhika krishna OH ◽

Mohammed Abdul Aleem ◽

Geetha Kayla

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Small Bowel ◽

Enteric Nervous System ◽

Gastrointestinal Motility ◽

Interstitial Cells Of Cajal ◽

Interstitial Cells ◽

Enteric Neurons ◽

Small Bowel Atresia ◽

Bowel Atresia ◽

Cells Of Cajal

Abstract BACKGROUND: Small bowel atresia is a congenital disorder that carves a substantial morbidity. Numerous postoperative gastrointestinal motility problems occur. The underlying cause of this motility disorder is still unclear. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) play a major role in gastrointestinal motility. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the morphological changes of enteric nervous system and ICC in small bowel atresia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Resected small bowel specimen from affected patients (n=15) were divided into three parts (proximal, distal, atretic). Standard histology and immunohistochemistry with anti C-KIT receptor antibody (CD117), calretinin and α-SMA was carried out. The density of myenteric ICCs in the proximal, atretic and distal parts was demonstrated by CD 117 while Calretinin was used for ganglion cells and nerve bundles, α-SMA highlighted muscle hypertrophy. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: The proximal and distal bowel revealed clear changes in the morphology and density of enteric nervous system and interstitial cells of Cajal..

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