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Differentiation of Interstitial Cells of Cajal in the Human Distal Colon

At the end of the embryonic period of human development, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are present in the esophagus, stomach, and proximal duodenum, around the inception of the myenteric plexus (MP) ganglia. In the small and large bowel, ICC appear later. The object of the present study was to determine the timing of appearance and pattern of distribution of ICC in the human embryonic and fetal distal colon. Human distal colon specimens were obtained from 8 embryos and 14 fetuses without gastrointestinal disorders. The specimens were 7–16 weeks of gestational age. The specimens were exposed to anti-c-kit antibodies to investigate ICC differentiation. Enteric plexuses were immunohistochemically examined using anti-neuron-specific enolase, and the differentiation of smooth muscle cells was studied with anti-desmin antibodies. In the distal colon, ICC emerged at weeks 10–11 of the fetal period in the form of two parallel belts of densely packed cells extending at the submucous plexus (SMP) and the MP level. These cells correspond to ICC of the SMP (ICC-SMP) and ICC of the MP (ICC-MP). The simultaneous appearance of ICC at the SMP and MP level in the distal colon can be explained by the fact that there are differences in the migration of neural crest cells in particular portions of the digestive tube. In conclusion, in humans, there was a difference in the patterns of development of ICC in the distal colon compared to the rest of the gut.