title: Distribution and ultrastructure of interstitial cells of Cajal in the gastric antrum of wild-type and Ws/Ws rats.
abstract: Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the stomach of wild-type and Ws/Ws mutant rats that are deficient in c-kit were studied by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy to elucidate their regional specialization in the gastric antrum. Immunohistochemistry for Kit protein demonstrated that in wild-type rats ICC were located at the submucosal border of the circular muscle layer (ICC-SM) in a limited extension of the antrum from the pyloric sphincter towards the corpus, as well as within both the circular (ICC-CM) and longitudinal (ICC-LM) muscle layers and in the myenteric plexus region (ICC-AP). In c-kit mutant Ws/Ws rats while ICC-CM and ICC-LM were not observed, but unexpectedly, a few ICC-SM and ICC-AP were found. By electron microscopy, ICC-SM and ICC-AP were characterized by abundant mitochondria, many caveolae, a distinct basal lamina and formed gap junctions with other ICC or with smooth muscle cells and make close contacts with nerves. Thus, ICC-SM and ICC-AP of the rat antrum were classified as Type 3 ICC, the type most similar to smooth muscle cells. The functional significance of ICC-SM and their survival in the c-kit mutant animals is discussed in reference to the role of the c-kit/stem cell factor system for their cellular maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Human Sciences, School of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, 359-1192 Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Retsu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mitsui
authors.forename: Terumasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komuro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D013270:Stomach / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure