Interstitial cells of Cajal and electrical activity in ganglionic and aganglionic colons of mice.
An antibody directed against Kit protein was used to investigate the distribution of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) within the murine colon. The ICC density was greatest in the proximal colon and decreased along its length. The distribution of the different classes of ICC in the aganglionic colons of lethal spotted (ls/ls) mice was found to be similar in age-matched wild-type controls. There were marked differences in the electrical activities of the colons from ls/ls mutants compared with wild-type controls. In ls/ls aganglionic colons, the circular muscle was electrically quiescent compared with the spontaneous spiking electrical activity of wild-type tissues. In ls/ls aganglionic colons, postjunctional neural responses were greatly affected. Inhibitory junction potentials were absent or excitatory junction potentials inhibited by atropine were observed. In conclusion, the distribution of ICC in the ganglionic and aganglionic regions of the colons from ls/ls mutants appeared similar to that of wild-type controls. The electrical activity and neural responses of the circular layer are significantly different in aganglionic segments of ls/ls mutants.
Ward
Sean M
SM
Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno 89557, USA. sean@physio.unr.edu
Gershon
Michael D
MD
Keef
Kathleen
K
Bayguinov
Yulia R
YR
Nelson
Cheryl
C
Sanders
Kenton M
KM
D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005724:Ganglia / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000172:deficiency; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D012016:Reference Values
D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496321:Nos1 protein, mouse