The Crucial Role of the Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Neurointestinal Diseases

Abstract

Neurointestinal diseases result from dysregulated interactions between the nervous system and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, leading to conditions such as Hirschsprung’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. These disorders affect many people, significantly diminishing their quality of life and overall health. Central to GI motility are the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), which play a key role in muscle contractions and neuromuscular transmission. This review highlights the role of ICC in neurointestinal diseases, revealing their association with various GI ailments. Understanding the functions of the ICC could lead to innovative perspectives on the modulation of GI motility and introduce new therapeutic paradigms. These insights have the potential to enhance efforts to combat neurointestinal diseases and may lead to interventions that could alleviate or even reverse these conditions.

The critical role of muscularis macrophages in modulating the enteric nervous system function and gastrointestinal motility

“…ICCs are particularly crucial for GI motility because they serve as pacemakers for the GI function by generating slow waves and aiding phasic contractions (3). Conditions associated with GI motility problems such as diabetic gastroparesis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease are often linked to a marked reduction in the ICC function (4). GI motility disorders frequently involve interactions between immune responses and the ENS, which are precipitated by a leaky gut that permits microbial incursion into the GI tissue, thereby escalating inflammation (5).…”