Affiliation:
1. 1Section of Histology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Forensic Medicine, University of Florence, Viale G. Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy
Abstract
AbstractHere, we review the history, morphology, immunohistochemical phenotype, and presumptive roles of a new type of interstitial tissue cells, formerly called interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC) and by 2010 named ‘telocytes’ (TC). Many different techniques have been used to characterize TC and provide their unequivocal identification: (i) in vitro, cultures and isolated cells; (ii) in situ, fixed specimens examined by light and fluorescence microscopy, transmission (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy, and electron tomography. TEM allowed sure identification and characterization of the most peculiar feature of TC: the long, thin, and convoluted prolongations named ‘telopodes’. An enormous variety of antibodies have been tested, but presently none are reliable to specifically label TC. TC have a mesenchymal origin and are resident connective tissue (stromal) cells. Possible identification with ‘already identified’ stromal cell types (fibroblasts, fibrocytes, fibroblast-like cells, and mesenchymal stromal cells) is discussed. We conclude that in adulthood, most of the TC have the morphology of fibrocytes. Apparently, immunocytochemistry suggests that a variety of TC populations showing different, likely organ-specific, immunophenotypes might exist. Several roles have been hypothesized for TC: mechanical roles, intercellular signaling, guiding and nursing of immature cells during organogenesis, and being themselves a pool of precursors for many of the mesenchyme-derived cells in adulthood; however, none of these roles have been proven yet. On the basis of the available data, we propose TC may be key players in organ regeneration and repair.
Subject
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Medicine
Cited by
145 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献