title: A functional role for the 'fibroblast-like cells' in gastrointestinal smooth muscles.
abstract: Smooth muscles, as in the gastrointestinal tract, are composed of several types of cells. Gastrointestinal muscles contain smooth muscle cells, enteric neurons, glial cells, immune cells, and various classes of interstitial cells. One type of interstitial cell, referred to as 'fibroblast-like cells' by morphologists, are common, but their function is unknown. These cells are found near the terminals of enteric motor neurons, suggesting they could have a role in generating neural responses that help control gastrointestinal movements. We used a novel mouse with bright green fluorescent protein expressed specifically in the fibroblast-like cells to help us identify these cells in the mixture of cells obtained when whole muscles are dispersed with enzymes. We isolated these cells and found they respond to a major class of inhibitory neurotransmitters - purines. We characterized these responses, and our results provide a new hypothesis about the role of fibroblast-like cells in smooth muscle tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurahashi
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Sang Don
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Kenton M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001030:Apamin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018999:Charybdotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003838:Deoxyadenine Nucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009243:NAD / Q000494:pharmacology; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D058921:Purinergic P2Y Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058472:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y1 / Q000235:genetics; D051640:Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C495475:2-iodo-N(6)-methyl-(N)-methanocarba-2'-deoxyadenosine-3',5'-bisphosphate; D003838:Deoxyadenine Nucleotides; C496900:Kcnn3 protein, mouse; C546383:P2ry1 protein, mouse; D058921:Purinergic P2Y Receptor Antagonists; D058472:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y1; C493460:Slc18a3 protein, mouse; D051640:Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D009243:NAD; D018999:Charybdotoxin; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D001030:Apamin; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496321:Nos1 protein, mouse; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha; D002118:Calcium