Novel enteric nerve plexus links enteric endocrine system with gastrointestinal motility

本研究的主要目的如下：1）鉴定自发性肌肉收缩的起搏细胞。2)控制自发性收缩的肠神经系统分析。3)对粘膜刺激的收缩反应：我们获得了四个研究结果：1）起搏细胞位于狗、豚鼠和小鼠结肠环行肌层的粘膜下表面。2）起搏细胞表达c-kit受体酪氨酸激酶免疫反应性，其发育依赖于c-kit信号通路; 3）部分肠神经元表达神经元特异性钙结合蛋白neurocalcin免疫反应性。迷走神经传入末梢也呈神经钙素免疫反应阳性。4）结肠粘膜上有肿瘤抑制基因APC的表达。APC的产物与β-catenin和DLG共定位，可能参与粘膜上皮细胞的增殖和分化。S.Torihashi继续并完成。

The main purpose of this research was as follows ;1) Identification of pacemaker cells of the spontaneous muscle contractions. 2) Analysis of the enteric nervous system which control spontaneous contractions. 3) Contractile response to the stimulation of the mucosa.We obtained four research results.1) Pacemaker cells were located at the submucosal surface of the colonic circular muscle layr in the dog, Guinea-pig and the mouse. They were a kind of special smooth muscle cells.2) Pacemaker cells expressed c-kit receptor tyrosine kinase immunoreactivity and their development depended on c-kit signaling pathway.3) Some enteric neurons expressed immunoreactivity of neurocalcin which is a neuuron specific calcium binding protein. Afferent nerve ending originated from vagus also expressed neurocalcin immunoreactivity4) The tumor suppressor gene APC was expressed on the mucosa of the colon. The products of APC were co-localized with beta catenin and with DLG.It may be involved in the proliferation and differentiation of mucosal epithelial cells.This research project was started by S.kobayashi as a head investigator from 1995 and after his death. S.Torihashi continued and completed.