Mostafa RM, Moustafa YM, Hamdy H. Interstitial cells of Cajal, the Maestro in health and disease. World J Gastroenterol 2010; 16(26): 3239-3248 [PMID: 20614479 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i26.3239]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Randa M Mostafa, Professor, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Sharjah University, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates. mostafaranda@sharjah.ac.ae
Article-Type of This Article
Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 14, 2010; 16(26): 3239-3248 Published online Jul 14, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i26.3239
Interstitial cells of Cajal, the Maestro in health and disease
Randa M Mostafa, Yasser M Moustafa, Hosam Hamdy
Randa M Mostafa, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Sharjah University, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
Yasser M Moustafa, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismaelia 24421, Egypt
Hosam Hamdy, Department of Surgery, Vice Chancellor of Medical and Health sciences Colleges, Sharjah University, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
Author contributions: All authors contributed extensively in preparing this manuscript; Mostafa RM provided a significant editorial and literature contribution; Moustafa YM performed the literature review; Hamdy H provided significant literature related comments and extensive review.
Correspondence to: Randa M Mostafa, Professor, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Sharjah University, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates. mostafaranda@sharjah.ac.ae
Telephone: +971-6-5057204 Fax: +971-6-5585879
Received: April 12, 2010 Revised: May 15, 2010 Accepted: May 22, 2010 Published online: July 14, 2010
Abstract
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are important players in the symphony of gut motility. They have a very significant physiological role orchestrating the normal peristaltic activity of the digestive system. They are the pacemaker cells in gastrointestinal (GI) muscles. Absence, reduction in number or altered integrity of the ICC network may have a dramatic effect on GI system motility. More understanding of ICC physiology will foster advances in physiology of gut motility which will help in a future breakthrough in the pharmacological interventions to restore normal motor function of GI tract. This mini review describes what is known about the physiologic function and role of ICCs in GI system motility and in a variety of GI system motility disorders.
