Intramuscular Interstitial Cells of Cajal; ion channels and their modulation by calcium ions and neurotransmitters.

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/366761

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Disorders of gut motility manifest themselves in several ways, as either patterns of hyperactivity or patterns of reduced activity. Under normal conditions gut motility reflects a balance between myogenic, neuronal and hormonal factors but as yet how this balance is normally achieved is not understood. This project will examine the properties of a class of cells, whose importance in both myogenic and neural control mechanisms has only been recognized over the last 10 years. The muscular wall of the gut is made up of two distinct types of cells. One group, smooth muscle cells, contains contractile elements and the coordinated behavior of these cells leads to the contractions of the gut wall, so ensuring the controlled passage of gut contents along the gastrointestinal tract. The other group of cells, Interstitial cells of Cajal, lack contractile elements. One set of these cells have recently been found to be the pacemaker cells of the gut responsible for the initiation of myogenic activity. They generate pacemaker waves which ensure that the gut contracts rhythmically. Another set of these cells are densely innervated, they receive messages from the nervous system and translate these messages into signals which alter the activity of the gut. Thus these cells play a key role in the neural control of the gut. In many disease states, the numbers of interstitial cells of Cajal have been found to be reduced. However as yet we know very little about these cells. This project will, for the first time, examine the properties of the interstitial cells involved in neural control and will determine how they carry out these essential functions.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2006

End Date: 01-01-2008

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $523,261.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Autonomic Nervous System

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

Chloride channels | Internal Ca2+ | cholinergic nerves | diabetic gastroparesis | gastrointestinal motility disorders | hypergastria | interstitial cells | nitrergic nerves

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