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Telocytes in the interstitium of human exocrine pancreas: ultrastructural evidence
Mihnea I Nicolescu1, Laurentiu M Popescu
1Department of Molecular Medicine, Victor Babeş National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania.
Insights
Researchers identified telocytes, a distinct cell type, in the human pancreas interstitium. These cells, with unique ultrastructural features, play a role in intercellular signaling within the pancreatic stroma.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Histology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Pancreatic interstitial cells are crucial for pancreas development and function.
- Telocytes, a novel cell type, were previously identified in various tissues.
- Their presence and role in the pancreas remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize telocytes in the human pancreatic interstitium.
- To investigate the ultrastructural features of pancreatic telocytes.
- To understand the potential role of pancreatic telocytes in intercellular communication.
Main Methods:
- Transmission electron microscopy of serial ultrathin sections of human pancreatic tissue.
- Computer-assisted analysis and morphometry of cellular structures.
Main Results:
- Telocytes were identified in the pancreatic interstitium, characterized by small cell bodies and long prolongations called telopodes.
- Telopodes exhibited a moniliform aspect with podoms and podomers, branching to form a network, and establishing cell junctions.
- These telopodes were observed in close proximity to blood vessels, nerves, acinar cells, and ducts, releasing microvesicles.
Conclusions:
- Telocytes are distinct interstitial cells within the exocrine pancreatic stroma.
- Pancreatic telocytes are involved in intercellular signaling through stromal synapses and vesicle transfer.
- These findings highlight telocytes as key players in pancreatic microenvironment regulation.
Objectives:
Pancreatic interstitial cells are located among acini, ducts, nerves, and blood vessels. They are essential for pancreas development, physiology, and for oncogenic microenvironment. We identified cells with characteristic ultrastructural features of telocytes in pancreatic interstitium. Telocytes were initially described as interstitial Cajal-like cells, but it gradually became clear that they were a distinct novel cell type not directly related to canonical interstitial Cajal cells.
Methods:
Serial ultrathin sections of human pancreatic tissue were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Computer analysis software was used to obtain 2-dimensional compositions from serial micrographs and to perform morphometry.
Results:
Pancreatic telocytes appear as small-body cells with prolongations called telopodes. The ultrastructural features of telopodes are the following: (a) number: 1 to 3; (b) length: tens of micrometers; (c) moniliform aspect: with podoms (thicker portions) and podomers (thin segments, with a mean width of 60 nm, undetectable by light microscopy); (d) dichotomous branching forming a network; (e) establish homocellular and heterocellular junctions; (f) release of microvesicles/multivesicular bodies. Telopodes pass close to blood vessels, nerves, and pancreatic acinar cells and ducts.
Conclusions:
Telocytes are present as distinct interstitial cells in the exocrine pancreatic stroma. They act as important players in intercellular signaling via stromal synapses and shed vesicle transfer.
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