Ultrastructural identification of interstitial cells of Cajal in hen oviduct

Poultry Science
J A GandahiQ Chen

Abstract

The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are widely believed to be neuroeffector cells of smooth muscle activity in all tubular organs, including the oviduct. The avian oviduct involves the secretion, sheathing, and transportation of a large-sized egg, but there is no information available on ICC in this special organ. We have demonstrated the presence of ICC in different segments throughout the oviduct in the laying hen and provided details on their ultrastructure by transmission electron microscopy technique, for the first time. The observed ICC appeared bipolar and multipolar cells of different shapes, with varying nuclear morphologies, a thin rim of electron-dense cytoplasm, and an infrequent basal lamina. They showed moniliform primary processes with one or 2 secondary or terminal processes. We found ICC near smooth muscle cells, nerve fibers, and the epithelia, where they make specialized contacts in the form of close membrane associations or gap-like junctions and peg-and-socket-like junctions. Intricate labyrinthine-type networking contacts were also present in ICC processes. Moreover, we report for the first time, that ICC in avian oviduct make interdigitating contacts with the epithelium. Cytoplasmic organelles identifie...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 6, 2014·Physiological Reviews·Kenton M SandersSang Don Koh
Jun 7, 2019·Microscopy and Microanalysis : the Official Journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada·Aalaa M AbuAliK E H Abdalla

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Caveolins & Signal Transduction

Caveolins are small proteins with a hairpin loop conformation that are located in the plasma membrane of various cell types where they bind cholesterol and interact with receptors essential for several signal transduction pathways. Here is the latest research.

© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved