Cajal间质细胞及其可塑性的研究进展

Cajal间质细胞(interstitial cells of Cajal,ICC)是一类主要分布于胃肠道的间质细胞,与平滑肌细胞以及肠神经细胞有着紧密的关系。ICC分布于整个胃肠道,是胃肠道起搏细胞,具有产生和传播慢波的功能,参与神经递质调节,在一些胃肠动力性疾病中表现为异常状态。近期,关于ICC的生理功能、损伤和恢复机制的研究取得了显著的进展。ICC网络存在动态平衡,为了维持ICC网络功能,ICC周期代谢需要被紧密的控制调节平衡ICC死亡和更替。研究表明,ICC具有高度的可塑性,在一些缺失ICC的疾病中ICC并不一定死亡,转分化、去分化和细胞凋亡可能是ICC丢失的机制。。本文主要对Cajal间质细胞及其可塑性的研究进展进行了综述。

Research Progress of the Basic Function and Plasticity of Interstitial Cellsof Cajal

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are a kind of cells mainly found in the gastrointestinal tract which were closelyassociated with muscular cells and enteric nerves. ICC had important functions in the control of gastrointestinal motility. They were thepacemaker cells of gastrointestinal tract, which could generate and propagate the slow wave, also involved in the regulation ofneurotransmitter. ICC were mainly distributed in the gastrointestinal tract and were abnormal in most gastrointestinal motility disorders.Recently, significant steps forward had been made in our understanding of the physiology of ICC as well as mechanisms of injury andrecovery. ICC numbers were dynamic to maintain functional ICC networks, ICC turnover needs to be tightly controlled with processesthat regulate both ICC loss and ICC replacement. Studies had shown that ICC have a remarkable degree of plasticity, which meant thatloss of ICC in some disorders didn''t not necessarily mean death of these cells. Transdifferentiation, dedifferentiation and apoptosis hadbeen proposed as the mechanisms for ICC loss. Investigating the mechanism of plasticity will help to understand the pathogenesis ofgastrointestinal motility disorders.