Journal of Smooth Muscle Research
Online ISSN : 1884-8796
Print ISSN : 0916-8737
ISSN-L : 0916-8737
Invited Reviews for 2010 Hirosi Kuriyama Award
The functional role of intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal in the stomach
Yoshihiko Kito
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2011 Volume 47 Issue 2 Pages 47-53

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Abstract

Intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC-IM) are found within the smooth muscle layers of the stomach. ICC-IM are mainly spindle shaped cells with bipolar processes orientated along the long axis of surrounding smooth muscle cells. ICC-IM make close contacts with nerve varicosities and form gap junctions with neighbouring smooth muscle cells, indicating that ICC-IM mediate enteric motor neurotransmission. These morphological properties of ICC-IM are similar throughout the stomach. However, the electrical properties of these cells differ from region to region. In the fundus, ICC-IM generate spontaneous transient depolarizations (STDs), resulting in an ongoing discharge of unitary potentials in the smooth muscle cells. ICC-IM in the corpus generate slow waves and as they fire at the highest frequency they serve as the dominant pacemaker cells in the stomach. On the other hand, ICC-IM in the antrum generate the secondary component of slow waves triggered by the initial component that propagates passively from myenteric ICC (ICC-MY). Thus, the different electrical properties of ICC-IM play a critical role in creating the distinct functions of the proximal and distal regions of the stomach such that the fundus acts as a reservoir of food, the corpus as a dominant pacemaker region, while the antrum acts as a region for mixing and propulsion of food.

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この記事はクリエイティブ・コモンズ [表示 - 非営利 4.0 国際]ライセンスの下に提供されています。
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.ja
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