ABSTRACT
The intermediate nestin filament is expressed in neural stem cells, neuroectodermal tumors and various adult tissues under situations that reproduce developmental phases, e.g., physiological renewal of certain cell types, tissue regeneration, and healing or revascularization. In the human gastrointestinal tract, nestin has been reported in glial cells and interstitial cells of Cajal. We examined by immunohistochemistry the appearance and distribution of nestin protein in enteric ganglia of rat duodenum. Through the myenteric and submucosal plexuses, a high number of nestin-positive cells were visualized in this specie. The nestin-positive cells were smaller and more numerous than enteric neurons. They were present both within and around ganglia. The results of this study suggest that the rat enteric glial cells (EGCs) are rich in nestin, a protein usually associated with dividing or migrating cells and the dynamic reorganization of nestin filaments during the cell cycle. EGCs could function as enteric stem cells.
Subject(s)
Duodenum/metabolism , Intermediate Filament Proteins/metabolism , Myenteric Plexus/metabolism , Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism , Submucous Plexus/metabolism , Animals , Duodenum/chemistry , Duodenum/innervation , Female , Immunohistochemistry , Intermediate Filament Proteins/analysis , Male , Myenteric Plexus/chemistry , Nerve Tissue Proteins/analysis , Nestin , Neuroglia/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Submucous Plexus/chemistryABSTRACT
Recently the new term 'telocytes' has been proposed for cells formerly known as interstitial Cajal-like cells. In fact, telocytes are not really Cajal-like cells, they being different from all other interstitial cells by the presence of telopodes, which are cell-body prolongations, very thin, extremely long with a moniliform aspect. The identification of these cells is based on ultrastructural criteria. The presence of telocytes in others organs was previously documented. We reported for the first time, an ultrastructural study of telocytes in the lamina propria of rat duodenum. Our findings show that typical telocytes are present in the rat duodenum. Telocytes are located in the lamina propria, immediately below mucosal crypts. Telopodes frequently establish close spatial relationships with immune cells, blood vessels and nerve endings. On the basis of their distribution and morphology, we suggest that these cells may be involved in immune response and in our opinion, it may be possible that different locations of telocytes could be associated with different roles.
Subject(s)
Duodenum/ultrastructure , Interstitial Cells of Cajal/ultrastructure , Animals , Blood Vessels/ultrastructure , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Mucous Membrane/ultrastructure , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
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