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Updated: Mar 12, 2026
Author Spotlight: Studying the Epithelial Effects of Intestinal Inflammation In Vitro on Established Murine Colonoids
Published on: June 2, 2023
[Morphological changes in the colonic muscular layer and interstitial cells of Cajal in experimental acute ulcerative
1Research Institute of Human Morphology, Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation; M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
Aim:
to investigate morphological changes in the muscular layer and an intermuscular population of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in acute ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS).
Material And Methods:
Acute colitis was induced by 3% DSS (molecular weight 40 kDa) in drinking water for 5 days; a control animal group was given tap water. Longitudinal colonic sections were histologically examined. Immunofluorescence staining of total preparations with antibodies to c-Kit was employed to assess an ICC population.
Results:
Morphological examination showed a morphological pattern of acute ulcerative colitis in the DSS-treated mice. The colonic muscular layer was thickened and the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells was vacuolated. There was a decrease in ICC network density and counts in the muscular layer, as well as a specific c-Kit positive granularity in the ICC bodies and processes.
Conclusion:
In acute ulcerative colitis, there are alternative changes in the colonic muscular layer and a decrease in ICC density.
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