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Updated: May 27, 2025
Visualization of the Interstitial Cells of Cajal ICC Network in Mice
Published on: July 27, 2011
Protocol for AI-based segmentation and quantification of interstitial cells of Cajal in murine gastric muscle
Egan L Choi1, Negar Taheri1, Yujiro Hayashi1
1Enteric Neuroscience Program and Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Gastroenterology Research Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Abstract:
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), pacemaker and neuromodulator cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, play an important role in GI motility. However, quantifying ICCs is challenging due to their mixed morphologies. Here, we present a protocol for preparing and immunostaining ICC in the murine gastric tunica muscularis using artificial intelligence (AI). We describe steps for obtaining muscles, whole-mount staining, and imaging ICC using confocal microscope. We then detail procedures for training an AI to identify ICCs and quantify their volume. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Taheri et al.1.
