A morphological and quantitative immunohistochemical study of the interstitial cells of Cajal in the normal equine intestinal tracts.
Abstract: The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) play a key role in the control of intestinal motility and have been implicated in several human gastrointestinal dysmotility syndromes, in equine grass sickness and in other intestinal disorders where a significant reduction in ICC density was observed. Objective: To investigate the density of ICC in clinically normal horses, ICC c-Kit expression was evaluated by image analysis in order to obtain numerical data. Methods: Intestinal samples from the jejunum to small colon from 5 clinically normal horses were studied. Immunohistochemical labelling of ICC was performed using an anti-c-Kit antibody. Density of ICC was calculated using image analysis software. Results: In the equine intestinal tract 2 types of ICC were observed: intramuscular ICC, i.e. ICC in the internal circular layer (IC-CM) and ICC in the external longitudinal layer (IC-LM), and myenteric ICC (IC-MY). The density of IC-MY was found to be higher throughout the small intestine. IC-MY density in the large intestine appeared to be greatest in the right ventral colon and in the small colon. IC-MY density in the ileocaecal junction showed an intermediate value compared to the small and large intestine. On the other hand, the density of IC-CM was found to be higher in the ileocaecal junction, whereas the caecum, left ventral colon and the left dorsal colon showed the lowest c-Kit immunoreactivity. The ileal tract and the ileocaecal junction showed an appreciable IC-LM density. Conclusions: Image analysis is a rapid and reproducible method to establish the density of ICC in the normal equine intestinal tract. Conclusions: This study corroborates the findings of previous studies and provides a platform for further future pathological investigations of the equine intestine by supplying usable numerical data as comparative elements.
Publication Date: 2010-06-09 PubMed ID: 20525056DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00031.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research is a exploratory study into the density of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the intestines of healthy horses, where the researchers used an image analysis software. The study establishes a baseline data for the density of these cells, with implications towards investigating gastrointestinal diseases in equines.
Research Background and Objectives
- The research study is based on understanding the density and distribution of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in normal horses’ intestines.
- These cells are central to the control of intestinal motility and have been implicated in several human and equine gastrointestinal disorders.
- The primary objective was to utilise image analysis to evaluate ICC c-Kit expression and derive numerical data to understand the density of the ICC in the intestine of healthy horses.
Methodology
- Intestinal samples were taken from different parts of the intestines, ranging from the jejunum to the small colon of five clinically healthy horses.
- An anti-c-Kit antibody was used for immunohistochemical labelling of the ICC.
- An image analysis software was used to calculate the density of ICC in the samples.
Results
- Two types of ICC were observed in the equine intestinal tract: intramuscular ICC and myenteric ICC.
- The myenteric ICC density was found to be higher in the small intestine, especially in the right ventral colon and the small colon.
- The intramusical ICC density was higher in the junction between the last small intestine segment (ileum) and the first large intestine (caecum).
- The ileal tract and the junction of ileum and caecum showed substantial density of ICC in the external longitudinal layer.
Conclusions
- Image analysis was found to be an effective and consistent method for determining the density of ICC in the normal equine intestinal tract.
- The study’s results align with previous researches and offer a valuable comparative data set for future pathological investigation into equine intestine disorders.
Cite This Article
APA
Pavone S, Mandara MT.
(2010).
A morphological and quantitative immunohistochemical study of the interstitial cells of Cajal in the normal equine intestinal tracts.
Equine Vet J, 42(4), 358-366.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00031.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Biopathological Science and Hygiene of Animal and Food Productions, Veterinary Medicine Faculty, University of Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Horses
- Interstitial Cells of Cajal / cytology
- Interstitial Cells of Cajal / physiology
- Intestines / cytology
- Male
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Milne EM, Pirie RS, Hahn CN, Del-Pozo J, Drummond D, Moss S, McGorum BC. A study of residual lesions in horses that recovered from clinical signs of chronic equine dysautonomia. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Sep;33(5):2302-2311.
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