Open AccessHeterocellular communication in the heart: electron tomography of telocyte–myocyte junctions
Author(s) -
Gherghiceanu Mihaela,
Popescu Laurentiu M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2011.01299.x
Subject(s) - cryo electron tomography , electron tomography , myocyte , endocardium , electron microscope , apposition , microbiology and biotechnology , vesicle , gap junction , biology , cell type , biophysics , anatomy , membrane , chemistry , cell , tomography , physics , medicine , biochemistry , scanning transmission electron microscopy , optics , intracellular
Myocardium is composed of two main cell populations: cardiomyocytes (CMs) and interstitial cells ( e.g. fibroblasts, immunoreactive cells, capillaries). However, very recently we have showed that a novel type of interstitial cell called telocytes (TCs) does exist in epi‐, myo‐ and endocardium. They have very long and thin telopodes (Tp) formed by alternating podomeres and podoms. Heterocellular communication between TCs and CMs it is supposed to occur by shed vesicles and close apposition. If TCs have to play a role in cardiac physiology it is expected to develop direct and unambiguous contacts with CMs. Because a clear membrane‐to‐membrane junction has not been reported by electron microscopy we have investigated the heterocellular communication in the mouse heart by electron tomography. This advanced technique showed that small dense structures (10–15 nm nanocontacts) directly connect TCs with CMs. More complex and atypical junctions could be observed between TCs and CMs at the level of intercalated discs. This study proves that TCs and CMs are directly connected and might represent a ‘functional unit’.