Development of the interstitial cell of Cajal: origin, Kit dependence and neuronal and nonneuronal sources of Kit ligand

Kit is a marker for interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). ICCs interact with enteric neurons and are essential for gastrointestinal motility. The roles of neural crest‐derived cells, neurons, Kit, and Kit ligand (KL) in ICC development were analyzed. ICC development lagged behind that of neurons and smooth muscle. Although mRNA encoding Kit and KL was detected at E11, Kit‐immunoreactive ICCs did not appear until E12 in foregut and E14 in terminal hindgut. Transcripts of Kit and KL and Kit‐immunoreactive cells were found in aganglionic gut from ls/ls and c‐ret −/− mice. ICCs also developed in crest‐free cultures of ls/ls terminal colon. ICCs appeared in cultures of noncrest‐ but not those of crest‐derived cells isolated from the fetal bowel by immunoselection with antibodies to p75NTR. KL immunoreactivity was coincident in cells with neuronal or smooth muscle markers. The development of ICCs in cultures of mixed cells dissociated from the fetal gut was dependent on plating density. No ICCs appeared at ≤80,000 cells/ml, but many cells, including filamentous ICCs, appeared at ≥200,000 cells/ml. Exogenous KL partially substituted for a high plating density. These data support the ideas that mammalian ICCs are neither derived from the neural crest nor developmentally dependent on neurons. ICC differentiation/survival requires KL, which can be provided by neurons or cells in a smooth muscle lineage. Neurons may be needed for development of myenteric ICCs and the mature ICC network. J. Neurosci. Res. 59:384–401, 2000 © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.