Abstract
The seminal work of Popescu and colleagues first demonstrated the existence of a new cell type – the telocytes. We were among the first who reported the presence of such cells in the female genital tract and performed TEM examinations, as well as immunohistochemical staining in the attempt to find a specific marker. Telocytes from rat and from the human uterus and from human fallopian tube were extensively investigated initially by comparison with interstitial cells of Cajal. Progress in telocyte research led to the identification of different subtypes suggestive for a heterogeneous telocyte population which can even coexist in the same location. As a consequence, the functions of TCs are still elusive and can be considered a versatile phenomenon that depends on a variety of conditions, including signal reception and transmission of information via extracellular vesicles or by direct intercellular contact.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Popescu LM, Hinescu ME, Ionescu N, et al. Interstitial cells of Cajal in pancreas. J Cell Mol Med. 2005;9:169–90.
Ciontea SM, Radu E, Regalia T, et al. C-kit immunopositive interstitial cells (Cajal-type) in human myometrium. J Cell Mol Med. 2005;9:407–20.
Popescu LM, Ciontea SM, Cretoiu D, et al. Novel type of interstitial cell (Cajal-like) in human fallopian tube. J Cell Mol Med. 2005;9:479–523.
Cretoiu D, Ciontea SM, Popescu LM, et al. Interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC) as steroid hormone sensors in human myometrium: immunocytochemical approach. J Cell Mol Med. 2006;10:789–95.
Popescu LM, Vidulescu C, Curici A, et al. Imatinib inhibits spontaneous rhythmic contractions of human uterus and intestine. Eur J Pharmacol. 2006;546:177–81.
Hinescu ME, Gherghiceanu M, Mandache E, et al. Interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC) in atrial myocardium: ultrastructural and immunohistochemical characterization. J Cell Mol Med. 2006;10:243–57.
Popescu LM, Ciontea SM, Cretoiu D. Interstitial Cajal-like cells in human uterus and fallopian tube. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007;1101:139–65.
Gherghiceanu M, Popescu LM. Interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC) in human resting mammary gland stroma. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) identification. J Cell Mol Med. 2005;9:893–910.
Radu E, Regalia T, Ceafalan L, et al. Cajal-type cells from human mammary gland stroma: phenotype characteristics in cell culture. J Cell Mol Med. 2005;9:748–52.
Suciu L, Popescu LM, Gherghiceanu M. Human placenta: de visu demonstration of interstitial Cajal-like cells. J Cell Mol Med. 2007;11:590–7.
Popescu LM, Faussone-Pellegrini MS. TELOCYTES – a case of serendipity: the winding way from Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC), via Interstitial Cajal-Like Cells (ICLC) to TELOCYTES. J Cell Mol Med. 2010;14:729–40.
Popescu LM, Manole CG, Gherghiceanu M, et al. Telocytes in human epicardium. J Cell Mol Med. 2010;14:2085–93.
Gherghiceanu M, Popescu LM. Cardiomyocyte precursors and telocytes in epicardial stem cell niche: electron microscope images. J Cell Mol Med. 2010;14:871–7.
Kostin S, Popescu LM. A distinct type of cell in myocardium: interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLCs). J Cell Mol Med. 2009;13:295–308.
Suciu L, Nicolescu MI, Popescu LM. Cardiac telocytes: serial dynamic images in cell culture. J Cell Mol Med. 2010;14:2687–92.
Bani D, Formigli L, Gherghiceanu M, Faussone-Pellegrini MS. Telocytes as supporting cells for myocardial tissue organization in developing and adult heart. J Cell Mol Med. 2010;14:2531–8.
Kostin S. Myocardial telocytes: a specific new cellular entity. J Cell Mol Med. 2010;14:1917–21.
Faussone-Pellegrini MS, Bani D. Relationships between telocytes and cardiomyocytes during pre- and post-natal life. J Cell Mol Med. 2010;14:1061–3.
Manole CG, Cismasiu V, Gherghiceanu M, Popescu LM. Experimental acute myocardial infarction: telocytes involvement in neo-angiogenesis. J Cell Mol Med. 2011;15:2284–96.
Rusu MC, Pop F, Hostiuc S, et al. Telocytes form networks in normal cardiac tissues. Histol Histopathol. 2012;27:807–16.
Gherghiceanu M, Manole CG, Popescu LM. Telocytes in endocardium: electron microscope evidence. J Cell Mol Med. 2010;14:2330–4.
Gherghiceanu M, Hinescu ME, Andrei F, et al. Interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC) in myocardial sleeves of human pulmonary veins. J Cell Mol Med. 2008;12:1777–81.
Yang Y, Sun W, Wu SM, et al. Telocytes in human heart valves. J Cell Mol Med. 2014. doi:10.1111/jcmm.12285.
Zhou Q, Wei L, Zhong C, et al. Cardiac telocytes are double positive for CD34/PDGFR-alpha. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:2036–42.
Rusu MC, Nicolescu MI, Jianu AM, et al. Esophageal telocytes and hybrid morphologies. Cell Biol Int. 2012;36:1079–88.
Chen X, Zheng Y, Manole CG, et al. Telocytes in human oesophagus. J Cell Mol Med. 2013;17:1506–12.
Cantarero Carmona I, Luesma Bartolome MJ, Junquera Escribano C. Identification of telocytes in the lamina propria of rat duodenum: transmission electron microscopy. J Cell Mol Med. 2011;15:26–30.
Cretoiu D, Cretoiu SM, Simionescu AA, Popescu LM. Telocytes, a distinct type of cell among the stromal cells present in the lamina propria of jejunum. Histol Histopathol. 2012;27:1067–78.
Yang P, Liu Y, Ahmed N, et al. Ultrastructural identification of telocytes in the muscularis of chicken ileum. Exp Ther Med. 2015;10:2325–30.
Manetti M, Rosa I, Messerini L, Ibba-Manneschi L. Telocytes are reduced during fibrotic remodelling of the colonic wall in ulcerative colitis. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:62–73.
Xiao J, Wang F, Liu Z, Yang C. Telocytes in liver: electron microscopic and immunofluorescent evidence. J Cell Mol Med. 2013;17:1537–42.
Fu S, Wang F, Cao Y, et al. Telocytes in human liver fibrosis. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:676–83.
Hinescu ME, Ardeleanu C, Gherghiceanu M, Popescu LM. Interstitial Cajal-like cells in human gallbladder. J Mol Histol. 2007;38:275–84.
Matyja A, Gil K, Pasternak A, et al. Telocytes: new insight into the pathogenesis of gallstone disease. J Cell Mol Med. 2013;17:734–42.
Nicolescu MI, Bucur A, Dinca O, et al. Telocytes in parotid glands. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2012;295:378–85.
Alunno A, Ibba-Manneschi L, Bistoni O, et al. Telocytes in minor salivary glands of primary Sjogren’s syndrome: association with the extent of inflammation and ectopic lymphoid neogenesis. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:1689–96.
Nicolescu MI, Popescu LM. Telocytes in the interstitium of human exocrine pancreas: ultrastructural evidence. Pancreas. 2012;41:949–56.
Bosco C, Diaz E, Gutierrez R, et al. Ganglionar nervous cells and telocytes in the pancreas of Octodon degus: extra and intrapancreatic ganglionar cells and telocytes in the degus. Auton Neurosci. 2013;177:224–30.
Padhi S, Sarangi R, Mallick S. Pancreatic extragastrointestinal stromal tumors, interstitial Cajal like cells, and telocytes. JOP. 2013;14:1–14.
Zheng Y, Li H, Manole CG, et al. Telocytes in trachea and lungs. J Cell Mol Med. 2011;15:2262–8.
Rusu MC, Jianu AM, Mirancea N, et al. Tracheal telocytes. J Cell Mol Med. 2012;16:401–5.
Popescu LM, Gherghiceanu M, Suciu LC, et al. Telocytes and putative stem cells in the lungs: electron microscopy, electron tomography and laser scanning microscopy. Cell Tissue Res. 2011;345:391–403.
Qi G, Lin M, Xu M, et al. Telocytes in the human kidney cortex. J Cell Mol Med. 2012;16:3116–22.
Zheng Y, Zhu T, Lin M, et al. Telocytes in the urinary system. J Transl Med. 2012;10:188.
Gevaert T, De Vos R, Van Der Aa F, et al. Identification of telocytes in the upper lamina propria of the human urinary tract. J Cell Mol Med. 2012;16:2085–93.
Vannucchi MG, Traini C, Guasti D, et al. Telocytes subtypes in human urinary bladder. J Cell Mol Med. 2014. doi:10.1111/jcmm.12375.
Yang J, Chi C, Liu Z, et al. Ultrastructure damage of oviduct telocytes in rat model of acute salpingitis. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:1720–8.
Yang XJ, Yang J, Liu Z, et al. Telocytes damage in endometriosis-affected rat oviduct and potential impact on fertility. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:452–62.
Cretoiu SM, Simionescu AA, Caravia L, et al. Complex effects of imatinib on spontaneous and oxytocin-induced contractions in human non-pregnant myometrium. Acta Physiol Hung. 2011;98:329–38.
Hatta K, Huang ML, Weisel RD, Li RK. Culture of rat endometrial telocytes. J Cell Mol Med. 2012;16:1392–6.
Cretoiu SM, Cretoiu D, Marin A, et al. Telocytes: ultrastructural, immunohistochemical and electrophysiological characteristics in human myometrium. Reproduction. 2013;145:357–70.
Hutchings G, Williams O, Cretoiu D, Ciontea SM. Myometrial interstitial cells and the coordination of myometrial contractility. J Cell Mol Med. 2009;13:4268–82.
Ullah S, Yang P, Zhang L, et al. Identification and characterization of telocytes in the uterus of the oviduct in the Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis: TEM evidence. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;18:2385–92.
Suciu L, Popescu LM, Gherghiceanu M, et al. Telocytes in human term placenta: morphology and phenotype. Cells Tissues Organs. 2010;192:325–39.
Bosco C, Diaz E, Gutierrez R, et al. Placental hypoxia developed during preeclampsia induces telocytes apoptosis in chorionic villi affecting the maternal-fetus metabolic exchange. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther. 2016;11:420–5.
Bosco C, Diaz E, Gutierrez R, et al. A putative role for telocytes in placental barrier impairment during preeclampsia. Med Hypotheses. 2015;84:72–7.
Popescu LM, Andrei F, Hinescu ME. Snapshots of mammary gland interstitial cells: methylene-blue vital staining and c-kit immunopositivity. J Cell Mol Med. 2005;9:476–7.
Mou Y, Wang Y, Li J, et al. Immunohistochemical characterization and functional identification of mammary gland telocytes in the self-assembly of reconstituted breast cancer tissue in vitro. J Cell Mol Med. 2013;17:65–75.
Cantarero I, Luesma MJ, Junquera C. The primary cilium of telocytes in the vasculature: electron microscope imaging. J Cell Mol Med. 2011;15:2594–600.
Li H, Lu S, Liu H, et al. Scanning electron microscope evidence of telocytes in vasculature. J Cell Mol Med. 2014;18:1486–9.
Zhang HQ, Lu SS, Xu T, et al. Morphological evidence of telocytes in mice aorta. Chin Med J (Engl). 2015;128:348–52.
Briggs Boedtkjer D, Rumessen J, Baandrup U, et al. Identification of interstitial Cajal-like cells in the human thoracic duct. Cells Tissues Organs. 2013;197:145–58.
Hinescu ME, Popescu LM, Gherghiceanu M, Faussone-Pellegrini MS. Interstitial Cajal-like cells in rat mesentery: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical approach. J Cell Mol Med. 2008;12:260–70.
Hinescu ME, Gherghiceanu M, Suciu L, Popescu LM. Telocytes in pleura: two- and three-dimensional imaging by transmission electron microscopy. Cell Tissue Res. 2011;343:389–97.
Popescu LM, Manole E, Serboiu CS, et al. Identification of telocytes in skeletal muscle interstitium: implication for muscle regeneration. J Cell Mol Med. 2011;15:1379–92.
Suciu LC, Popescu BO, Kostin S, Popescu LM. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta-positive telocytes in skeletal muscle interstitium. J Cell Mol Med. 2012;16:701–7.
Diaz-Flores L, Gutierrez R, Saez FJ, et al. Telocytes in neuromuscular spindles. J Cell Mol Med. 2013;17:457–65.
Rusu MC, Mirancea N, Manoiu VS, et al. Skin telocytes. Ann Anat. 2012;194:359–67.
Cretoiu D, Gherghiceanu M, Hummel E, et al. FIB-SEM tomography of human skin telocytes and their extracellular vesicles. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:714–22.
Manole CG, Gherghiceanu M, Simionescu O. Telocyte dynamics in psoriasis. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:1504–19.
Kang Y, Zhu Z, Zheng Y, et al. Skin telocytes versus fibroblasts: two distinct dermal cell populations. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:2530–9.
Luesma MJ, Gherghiceanu M, Popescu LM. Telocytes and stem cells in limbus and uvea of mouse eye. J Cell Mol Med. 2013;17:1016–24.
Corradi LS, Jesus MM, Fochi RA, et al. Structural and ultrastructural evidence for telocytes in prostate stroma. J Cell Mol Med. 2013;17:398–406.
Li H, Zhang H, Yang L, et al. Telocytes in mice bone marrow: electron microscope evidence. J Cell Mol Med. 2014;18:975–8.
Popescu BO, Gherghiceanu M, Kostin S, et al. Telocytes in meninges and choroid plexus. Neurosci Lett. 2012;516:265–9.
Xu T, Lu S, Zhang H. Transmission electron microscope evidence of telocytes in canine dura mater. J Cell Mol Med. 2016. doi:10.1111/jcmm.12726.
Dawidowicz J, Szotek S, Matysiak N, et al. Electron microscopy of human fascia lata: focus on telocytes. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:2500–6.
Yang P, Ahmad N, Hunag Y, et al. Telocytes: novel interstitial cells present in the testis parenchyma of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:2888–99.
Chang Y, Li C, Gan L, et al. Telocytes in the spleen. PLoS One. 2015;10:e0138851.
Cretoiu SM, Popescu LM. Telocytes revisited. Biomol Concepts. 2014;5:353–69.
Cretoiu SM, Cretoiu D, Popescu LM. Human myometrium – the ultrastructural 3D network of telocytes. J Cell Mol Med. 2012;16:2844–9.
Gherghiceanu M, Popescu LM. Cardiac telocytes – their junctions and functional implications. Cell Tissue Res. 2012;348:265–79.
Fertig ET, Gherghiceanu M, Popescu LM. Extracellular vesicles release by cardiac telocytes: electron microscopy and electron tomography. J Cell Mol Med. 2014;18:1938–43.
Cismasiu VB, Radu E, Popescu LM. miR-193 expression differentiates telocytes from other stromal cells. J Cell Mol Med. 2011;15:1071–4.
Zheng Y, Zhang M, Qian M, et al. Genetic comparison of mouse lung telocytes with mesenchymal stem cells and fibroblasts. J Cell Mol Med. 2013;17:567–77.
Cismasiu VB, Popescu LM. Telocytes transfer extracellular vesicles loaded with microRNAs to stem cells. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:351–8.
Zheng Y, Cretoiu D, Yan G, et al. Protein profiling of human lung telocytes and microvascular endothelial cells using iTRAQ quantitative proteomics. J Cell Mol Med. 2014;18:1035–59.
Zheng Y, Cretoiu D, Yan G, et al. Comparative proteomic analysis of human lung telocytes with fibroblasts. J Cell Mol Med. 2014;18:568–89.
Albulescu R, Tanase C, Codrici E, et al. The secretome of myocardial telocytes modulates the activity of cardiac stem cells. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:1783–94.
Chi C, Jiang XJ, Su L, et al. In vitro morphology, viability and cytokine secretion of uterine telocyte-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages. J Cell Mol Med. 2015. doi:10.1111/jcmm.12711.
Sun X, Zheng M, Zhang M, et al. Differences in the expression of chromosome 1 genes between lung telocytes and other cells: mesenchymal stem cells, fibroblasts, alveolar type II cells, airway epithelial cells and lymphocytes. J Cell Mol Med. 2014;18:801–10.
Zheng M, Sun X, Zhang M, et al. Variations of chromosomes 2 and 3 gene expression profiles among pulmonary telocytes, pneumocytes, airway cells, mesenchymal stem cells and lymphocytes. J Cell Mol Med. 2014;18:2044–60.
Wang J, Ye L, Jin M, Wang X. Global analyses of Chromosome 17 and 18 genes of lung telocytes compared with mesenchymal stem cells, fibroblasts, alveolar type II cells, airway epithelial cells, and lymphocytes. Biol Direct. 2015;10:9.
Zhu Y, Zheng M, Song D, et al. Global comparison of chromosome X genes of pulmonary telocytes with mesenchymal stem cells, fibroblasts, alveolar type II cells, airway epithelial cells, and lymphocytes. J Transl Med. 2015;13:318.
Song D, Cretoiu D, Zheng M, et al. Comparison of Chromosome 4 gene expression profile between lung telocytes and other local cell types. J Cell Mol Med. 2016. doi:10.1111/jcmm.12746.
Salama N. Immunohistochemical characterization of telocytes in rat uterus in different reproductive states. Egypt J Histol. 2013;36:185–94.
Rosenbaum ST, Svalo J, Nielsen K, et al. Immunolocalization and expression of small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels in human myometrium. J Cell Mol Med. 2012;16:3001–8.
Campeanu RA, Radu BM, Cretoiu SM, et al. Near-infrared low-level laser stimulation of telocytes from human myometrium. Lasers Med Sci. 2014;29:1867–74.
Faussone-Pellegrini MS, Popescu LM. Telocytes. Biomol. Concepts. 2011;2:481–9.
Cretoiu SM, Radu B, Banciu A, et al. Isolated human uterine telocytes: immunocytochemistry and electrophysiology of T-type calcium channels. Histochem Cell Biol. 2014:1–12. doi:10.1007/s00418-014-1268-0.
Cretoiu SM, Cretoiu D, Suciu L, Popescu LM. Interstitial Cajal-like cells of human fallopian tube express estrogen and progesterone receptors. J Mol Histol. 2009;40:387–94.
Yang XJ, Wei W, Zhao J, Zheng FY. Inhibitory effects of methotrexate on spontaneous motility and Cajal-like type of tubal interstitial cells in rabbit oviduct. Fertil Steril. 2012;98:215–21.
Yang XJ, Xu JY, Shen ZJ, Zhao J. Immunohistochemical alterations of Cajal-like type of tubal interstitial cells in women with endometriosis and tubal ectopic pregnancy. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2013;288:1295–300.
Horn LC, Meinel A, Hentschel B. c-kit/CD 117 positive cells in the myometrium of pregnant women and those with uterine endometriosis. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2012;286:105–7.
Terada T. Gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the uterus: a case report with genetic analyses of c-kit and PDGFRA genes. Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2009;28:29–34.
Ardeleanu C, Bussolati G. Telocytes are the common cell of origin of both PEComas and GISTs: an evidence-supported hypothesis. J Cell Mol Med. 2011;15:2569–74.
Roatesi I, Radu BM, Cretoiu D, Cretoiu SM. Uterine telocytes: a review of current knowledge. Biol Reprod. 2015;93:10.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research CNCS-UEFISCDI project numbers 82/2012 and 194/2014.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cretoiu, S.M. (2016). Immunohistochemistry of Telocytes in the Uterus and Fallopian Tubes. In: Wang, X., Cretoiu, D. (eds) Telocytes. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 913. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1061-3_22
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1061-3_22
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-1060-6
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-1061-3
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)