ER morphological analysis associated with interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscle cells in the murine stomach.

ABSTRACT: In the gastrointestinal tract, several modulators are involved in generating complex motility patterns, including smooth muscle cells (SMCs), interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), and PDGFRα+ cells. Notably, ICCs are excitable cells that generate characteristic oscillations in pacemaker activity mediated by the cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration. Since the primary source of cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), its distribution and localisation in the cytoplasm may indicate characteristic aspects that help in understanding its physiological functions. Furthermore, caveolae, which are invaginations of the plasma membrane (PM) observed in both ICCs and SMCs, are key sites for Ca²⁺ sparks, and their functions have been we

SUBMITTER: Tamada H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12727777 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature