Guide to the identification of interstitial cells of Cajal

About the presence of interstitial cells of Cajal outside the musculature of the gastrointestinal tract

“…In any case, Cajal's studies formed the basis of intense discussions in subsequent studies at the light microscopy level in the Netherlands and elsewhere and the 'interstitial neurons" were thought to be pacemaker cells or connective tissue cells and named interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) (see [5,6] for review). In the 1970s and 1980s, cells that were considered to correspond to the "interstitial neurons" discovered by Cajal were described using electron microscopy (EM) in the musculature of the intestinal tract of several mammals, fully defined at that level by FaussonePellegrini, Thuneberg and Rumessen [5,[7][8][9]. In this period, EM identified these cells as "myoid" cells and firmly disproved the neuronal nature previously attributed to them by Cajal.…”

Kit‐like immunoreactivity in the zebrafish gastrointestinal tract reveals putative ICC

“…These cell types have been identified and characterized in many vertebrate model systems including the mouse, guinea pig, rat, dog, chick, and human (Faussone-Pellegrini and Thuneberg, 1999;Komuro, 1999;Sanders et al, 1999;Young, 1999). It is now widely understood that ICC play a vital role in regulating GI motility.…”

“…Identification of ICC in the GI tract may be accomplished using Kit as a selective and specific marker (Huizinga et al, 1995;Burns et al, 1997;Kluppel et al, 1998;Faussone-Pellegrini and Thuneberg, 1999;Komuro, 1999;He et al, 2000He et al, , 2001Lyford et al, 2002) The proto-oncogene c-kit is expressed by ICC located within the tunica muscularis of the GI tract of mice, guinea pigs, rats, dogs, and humans. Antibodies specific for this protein label ICC within GI tissues in several species, including humans, and have been widely utilized to both determine ICC cellular morphology, and to characterize sub-populations of ICC located in distinct layers of the muscular wall of the GI tract (Ward and Sanders, 1992;Ward et al, 1994;Burns et al, 1997;Ozaki et al, 2004;Komuro, 1999).…”

“…Several classes of ICC have been identified. Each class is distinguished according to cellular morphology, anatomical location, and function (Faussone-Pellegrini and Thuneberg, 1999;Komuro, 1999;Sanders et al, 1999). The myenteric plexus region, located between the circular and longitudinal muscle layers, exhibits the highest ICC density and the myenteric ICC network is continuous throughout the mammalian GI tract (Burns et al, 1997;Hirst and Edwards, 2004).…”

Ultrastructural features and possible functional role of kit-positive interstitial cells in the guinea pig corpus cavernosum

“…Before the availability of anti-c-kit antibodies, classical identification of ICC was based on their ultrastructural features, including the presence of numerous mitochondria and surface caveolae, large bundles of intermediate filaments, a moderately developed Golgi apparatus, rough and smooth ER, few ribosomes and close contacts with nerve varicosities and the formation of numerous gap junctions, both with each other and with SMCs. 25,26 The ultrastructure of ICs in guinea pig corpus cavernosum was revealed by TEM for the first time. They had many caveolae along the cell membrane, numerous mitochondria and dense bodies, and a few of rough endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes in the cytoplasm.…”