Platelet-derived growth factor receptor α-positive cells in the tunica muscularis of human colon.

ABSTRACT: An obstacle to understanding motor pathologies of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is that the physiology of some of the cellular components of the gut wall is not understood. Morphologists identified fibroblast-like cells in the tunica muscularis many years ago, but little is known about these interstitial cells because of inadequate techniques to identify these cells. Recent findings have shown that fibroblast-like cells express platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) in mice and that antibodies for these receptors can be used to label the cells. We used immunohistochemical techniques to study the phenotype and intercellular relationships of fibroblast-like cells in the human colon. Fibroblast-like cells are labelled specifically with antibodies to PDGFRα and widely distributed

SUBMITTER: Kurahashi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3477549 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature