The smooth muscle layer of the urethra generates spontaneous myogenic tone that is thought to make a major contribution to urinary continence. The mechanisms underlying generation of tone remain unclear, however recent studies from our laboratory highlighted a role for a specialised population of pacemaker cells which we originally referred to as interstitial cells (IC) and now term ICC. Urethr...

PURPOSE Adenosine triphosphate is thought to be an important neurotransmitter in urethral smooth muscle but its physiological role is still unclear. We characterized the effects of adenosine triphosphate on contractile and pacemaker activity in rabbit urethral smooth muscle. MATERIALS AND METHODS Tension recordings were made from strips of rabbit proximal urethral smooth muscle. Membrane curr...

Objective(s): To study the c-Kit expression in the gallbladder of cholesterol lithogenic guinea pig model and the effect of Artemisia capillaris Thunb on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs). Materials and Methods:A total of 45 guinea pigs were randomly assigned into three groups: the control group (guinea pigs fed a standard diet, normal group); the model group (guinea pigs fed a cholesterol gal...

PURPOSE Interstitial cells of Cajal were identified in the gastrointestinal tract of several species, with close relation to the enteric nervous system. Since it was recognized that interstitial cells of Cajal express the gene product of c-kit, we performed immunohistochemistry for c-kit protein in ciliary muscle specimens of monkeys' eyes. METHODS Eight eyes from four adult male new world mo...