The Physiology and Pathophysiology of Interstitial Cells of Cajal: Pacemaking, Innervation, and Stretch Sensation

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are part of the control system that orchestrates and regulates a diverse set of motor patterns in all parts of the gut to facilitate absorption, transit, neural innervation, stretch sensation, and bacterial homeostasis. ICC are unique cells that either have intrinsic pacemaker activity, or can perform stimulus-induced pacemaking; they act as networks and this network is connected to inhibitory and excitatory …