title: The role of interstitial Cajal-like cells in the formation of cholesterol stones in guinea pig gallbladder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLCs) on contraction of gallbladder muscle strips; and to analyze the changes of ICLCs during cholesterol gallstone formation in guinea pig.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cholesterol gallstone animal model was made by feeding guinea pig with high cholesterol diet (HCD). In vitro isolated gallbladder muscle strips were prepared. Gallbladder motility was assessed by the contraction frequency and amplitude of slow wave in response to CCK-8. The alteration in ICLC density was estimated by using immunohistochemistry. The expression of c-kit and stem cell factor (SCF) were determined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The amplitude and frequency of slow wave was significantly lower in gallbladder muscle strips with the impaired ICLCs. And it is correlated with the decreased contractile response to CCK-8. In HCD guinea pig, the ICLC density and bile flow in response to CCK-8 were remarkably decreased. The results indicated that gallbladder ICLCs can create slow wave potential, and also get involved in the regulation of CCK-8 induced gallbladder smooth muscle motility. In the process of cholesterol gallstone formation, ICLC density clearly decreased. This further impaired gallbladder motility. The decrease in ICLC density may result from decreased expression of c-kit and SCF during cholesterol gallstone formation.
authors: Department of the Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang City, 110004, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China. coolingpine78@163.com.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Fan
authors: Department of the Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang City, 110004, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China. vsucceed@163.com.
authors: Shuodong
authors: S
authors: Wu
authors: Department of the Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang City, 110004, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors: Beibei
authors: B
authors: Fu
authors: Department of the Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang City, 110004, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Weng
authors: Department of the Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang City, 110004, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xinpeng
authors: X
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016473:Gallbladder Emptying; D042882:Gallstones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000067170:Telocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D002784:Cholesterol; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
keywords: Cholecystokinin; Cholesterol gallstones; Interstitial Cajal-like cells; SCF; c-kit