Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are the pacemaker cells in gastrointestinal (GI) muscles. They also mediate or transduce inputs from enteric motor nerves to the smooth muscle syncytium. What is known about functional roles of ICC comes from developmental studies based on the discovery that ICC express c-kit. Functional development of ICC networks depends on signaling via the Kit receptor pathway. Immunohistochemical studies using Kit antibodies have expanded our knowledge about the ICC phenotype, the structure of ICC networks, the interactions of ICC with other cells within the tunica muscularis, and the loss of ICC in some motility disorders. Manipulating Kit signaling with reagents to block the receptor or downstream signaling pathways or by using mutant mice in which Kit or its ligand, stem cell factor, are defective has allowed novel studies of the development of these cells within the tunica muscularis and also allowed the study of specific functions of different classes of ICC in several regions of the GI tract. This article examines the role of ICC in GI motility, focusing on the functional development and maintenance of ICC networks in the GI tract and the phenotypic changes that can occur when the Kit signaling pathway is disrupted.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.2001.281.3.G602DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

functional development
12
icc networks
12
icc
11
interstitial cells
8
cells cajal
8
cells tunica
8
tunica muscularis
8
icc motility
8
kit signaling
8
cells
5

Similar Publications

Objective: For patients with contraindications to hormone therapy, the absence of effective treatments for ovarian dysfunction post chemotherapy represents a critical issue requiring resolution. Local administration of mitochondria may enhance ovarian function in premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) by ameliorating diminished mitochondrial activity. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of literature on the efficacy of mitochondrial transplantation through intravenous injection, a less invasive and more convenient method than local injection, for the improvement of ovarian function in POI following chemotherapy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nup107 contributes to the maternal to zygotic transition by preventing the premature nuclear export of pri-miRNA 427.

Development

January 2025

Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.

Emerging evidence suggests that the nuclear pore complex can have unique compositions and distinct nucleoporin functions in different cells. Here, we show that Nup107, a key component of the NPC scaffold, varies in expression over development: it is expressed at higher levels in the blastula compared to the gastrula suggesting a critical role prior to gastrulation. We find depletion of Nup107 affects the differentiation of the early germ layers leading to an expansion of the ectoderm at the expense of endoderm and mesoderm.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Tongue Muscle Training App for Middle-Aged and Older Adults Incorporating Flow-Based Gameplay: Design and Feasibility Pilot Study.

JMIR Serious Games

January 2025

Department of Interaction Design, National Taipei University of Technology, Rm.701-4, Design Building, No.1, Sec.3, Chung-hsiao E. Rd, Taipei, 10608, Taiwan, 886 912-595408, 886 2-87732913.

Background: Complications due to dysphagia are increasingly prevalent among older adults; however, the tediousness and complexity of conventional tongue rehabilitation treatments affect their willingness to rehabilitate. It is unclear whether integrating gameplay into a tongue training app is a feasible approach to rehabilitation.

Objective: Tongue training has been proven helpful for dysphagia treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: While research in multiple countries confirms that primary care functional features significantly improve patient health, China's primary care system differs markedly due to unique structural and contextual factors. This study aims to measure and explore the functional features experienced by patients received family doctor contract service in the past year, evaluating the impacts and pathways of these primary care features on health outcomes.

Methods: We employed a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) has emerged as a critical biomarker for the early detection of prostate cancer, complementing the traditional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. This research presents a novel resistive sensor based on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) functionalized with glutaraldehyde (GA)/complementary single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA) for the detection of the PCA3 RNA. The device was meticulously characterized at each fabrication step to confirm the successful integration of the various layers on the sensor device, utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM) which confirmed the increase in the thickness of the sensor from ∼1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!