Transcriptional expression of ICC-DMP and ICC-MY in murine small intestine

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) have important functions in regulation of motor activity in the gastrointestinal tract. In murine small intestine ICC are gathered in the region of the myenteric plexus (ICC-MY) and within the deep-muscular plexus near the submucosal surface of the circular muscle layer (ICC-DMP). These two classes of ICC have different physiological functions. ICC-MY are pacemaker cells and generate the slow wave electrical rhythmicity of gastrointestinal organs. ICC-DMP form synaptic connections with the varicose nerve terminals of enteric motor neurons and are involved in reception and transduction of motor neurotransmission. In the present study we used recently developed highly selective techniques to isolate the two classes of ICC from enzymatically dispersed intestinal muscles by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Transcriptional expression of the two functional classes was investigated using DNA microarray analysis. Keywords: comparative transcriptional profiling ICC-DMP and ICC-MY cells were isolated from the murine small intestinal tissues and their transcriptional expression was compared with that of the tunica muscularis tissues. Transcriptional expression profiles of ICC-DMP and ICC-MY were compared to each other also.