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Visualization of the Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC) Network in Mice
Published on: July 27, 2011
Interstitial Cajal-like cells in rat mesentery: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical approach
M E Hinescu1, L M Popescu, M Gherghiceanu
1Victor BabesNational Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania.
Insights
Interstitial Cajal-like Cells (ICLC) were identified in the rat mesentery, exhibiting features similar to those in other organs. These mesenteric ICLC may form a network regulating blood flow during intestinal movements.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Cell Biology
- Histology and Ultrastructure
- Connective Tissue Research
Background:
- Interstitial Cajal-like Cells (ICLC) are increasingly recognized in various non-digestive organs.
- Understanding the distribution and function of ICLC in different tissues is crucial for comprehending their physiological roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize a novel cell type in the rat mesentery with ultrastructural and immunohistochemical similarities to ICLC.
- To investigate the potential role of these mesenteric ICLC in the mesentery's structural integrity and vascular function.
Main Methods:
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for ultrastructural analysis of mesenteric cells.
- Light microscope immunohistochemistry to determine the antigenic profile.
- Quantitative analysis of cell process length, convolution, and proximity to target cells (nerves, vessels, adipocytes, macrophages).
Main Results:
- Mesenteric cells met TEM criteria for ICLC, including characteristic long, moniliform processes (mean length 24.91 µm).
- Immunohistochemistry revealed an antigenic profile comparable to ICLC from other extra-digestive tissues (CD117/c-kit, CD34, vimentin, etc.).
- Proximity analysis indicated close associations with nerve bundles, vessels, adipocytes, and macrophages.
Conclusions:
- The identified mesenteric ICLC possess unique ultrastructural features, suggesting a role in maintaining a resistant yet deformable three-dimensional network.
- This network may be vital for accommodating intestinal movements, preventing blood vessel closure, and regulating vascular rheology.
- Further research is needed to establish the connection between mesenteric ICLC and enteric interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).
Abstract:
Interstitial Cajal-like Cells (ICLC) were recently recognized in a plethora of non-digestive organs. Here, we describe a cell type of rat mesentery sharing ultrastructural and immunohistochemical features with ICLC. Mesenteric ICLC were demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and further tested by light microscope immunohistochemistry. The cell described here fulfils the TEM diagnostic criteria accepted for ICLC: location in the connective interstitium; close vicinity to nerves, capillaries and other interstitial cells; characteristic long, moniliform cell processes; specialized cell-to-cell junctions; caveolae; mitochondria at 5-10% of cytoplasmic volume; rough endoplasmic reticulum at about 1-2%; intermediate and thin filaments, microtubules; undetectable thick filaments. The processes of this mesenteric ICLC were particularly long, with a mean length of 24.91 microm (10.27-50.83 micorm), and a convolution index of 2.32 (1.37-3.63) was calculated in order to measure their potential length. Mean distances versus main target cells of ICLC-nerve bundles, vessels, adipocytes and macrophages-were 110.69, 115.80, 205.07 and 34.65 nm, respectively. We also tested the expression of CD117/c-kit, CD34, vimentin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, nestin, NK-1, tryptase and chymase and the antigenic profile of the mesenteric ICLC was comparable if not identical with that recently observed in ICLC from other extra-digestive tissues. Due to the peculiar aspect of the mesenteric ICLC processes it can be hypothesized that these cells form a three-dimensional network within the mesentery that is at the same time resistant and deformable following stretches consequent to intestine movements, mainly avoiding blood vessels closure or controlling blood vessels rheology. It remains, however, to be established if and how such cells are connected with the archetypal enteric ICC.
