Interstitial cells of Cajal and intestinal function in Trinidadian children.
OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out to compare the density of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in the bowel wall of children with Hirschsprung's disease (HD), anorectal malformations (ARM) and normal controls in Trinidad and Tobago.


METHODS
Segments of bowel wall excised from eight children with HD, three controls and two children with ARM were immunostained with c-Kit primary antibody. Cells with features of ICCs were counted.


RESULTS
All three controls and the two children with ARM had dense distribution of ICCs. Most children (6/8; 75%) with HD had markedly reduced counts in aganglionic bowel. Two (25%) also had a decrease in ganglionic bowel. Possible influences were patient age and gender and the level of bowel sectioned.


CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of this sample suggests that immunostaining for c-Kit positive cells might be a useful screening test in the assessment of bowel motility disorders. The possible effects of age, gender and the level of bowel sampled await determination.
Anatol
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Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mount Hope, Trinidad and Tobago. trevana@wow.net
Mohammed
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Rao
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D000293:Adolescent; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D007422:Intestines / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago
D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit