Smooth muscles are complex tissues containing a variety of cells in addition to muscle cells.
Interstitial cells of mesenchymal origin interact with and form electrical connectivity with …

The second and third trimesters of pregnancy are crucial for the anatomical and functional
development of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. If premature birth occurs, the immaturity of the …

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours are the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of the
gastrointestinal tract and are highly resistant to conventional chemotherapy and …

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the
gastrointestinal tract, and they are generally resistant to chemotherapy and radiation …

Mice carrying certain mutations in the white spotting (W) locus (ie, c-kit) exhibit reduced c-kit
tyrosine kinase-dependent signaling that results in mast cell deficiency and other phenotypic …

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are implicated in the regulation of gut peristalsis and are
immunostained by antibodies against Kit (CD117), a tyrosine kinase receptor. Most …

PURPOSE: Previous studies have reported clinical correlates for KIT mutations in GISTs, but
in most of those studies the KIT mutations were found in less than 50% of the GISTs. The aim …

Recent studies have done much to reveal the biological and genetic underpinnings of
gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Constitutive activation of the KIT receptor tyrosine …

Networks of interstitial cells of Cajal embedded in the musculature of the gastrointestinal
tract are involved in the generation of electrical pacemaker activity for gastrointestinal …

Background & Aims: Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) serve as pacemaker cells and mediators
of neurotransmission from the enteric nervous system to gastrointestinal muscles. ICC …