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Selective knockout of intramuscular interstitial cells reveals their role in the generation of slow waves in mouse stomach
Author(s) -
Dickens Emma J.,
Edwards F. R.,
Hirst G. D. S.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7793.2001.0827h.x
Subject(s) - interstitial cell of cajal , depolarization , myenteric plexus , antrum , anatomy , intracellular , immunohistochemistry , stomach , membrane potential , biology , chemistry , biophysics , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , biochemistry
1 Intracellular recording techniques were used to compare the patterns of electrical activity generated in the antral region of the stomachs of wild‐type and W/W V mutant mice. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to determine the distribution of c‐kit‐positive interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) within the same region of the stomach. 2 In wild‐type mice interstitial cells were found at the level of the myenteric plexus (ICC MY ) and distributed within the smooth muscle bundles (ICC IM ). In these preparations slow waves, which consisted of initial and secondary components, were detected. 3 In W/W V mutant mice ICC MY could be identified at the level of the myenteric plexus but ICC IM were not detected within smooth muscle bundles. Intracellular recordings revealed that smooth muscle cells generated waves of depolarization; these lacked a secondary component. 4 These results indicate that the secondary regenerative component of a slow wave is generated by ICC IM . Thus the depolarization arising from the pacemaker cells, ICC MY , is augmented by ICC IM , so causing a substantial membrane depolarization in the circular muscle layer. Rather than contributing directly to rhythmical electrical activity, smooth muscle cells appear to depolarize at the command of the two subpopulations of ICC.