The gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscles

The gut undergoes peristaltic movements regulated by intricate cellular interactions. How these interactions emerge in the developing gut remains poorly explored due to a lack of model system. We here developed a novel contractile organoid that is derived from the muscle layer of chicken embryonic h...

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Main Authors: Rei Yagasaki, Ryo Nakamura, Yuuki Shikaya, Ryosuke Tadokoro, Ruolin Hao, Zhe Wang, Mototsugu Eiraku, Masafumi Inaba, Yoshiko Takahashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2025-08-01
Series:eLife
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Online Access:https://elifesciences.org/articles/97860
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author Rei Yagasaki
Ryo Nakamura
Yuuki Shikaya
Ryosuke Tadokoro
Ruolin Hao
Zhe Wang
Mototsugu Eiraku
Masafumi Inaba
Yoshiko Takahashi
author_facet Rei Yagasaki
Ryo Nakamura
Yuuki Shikaya
Ryosuke Tadokoro
Ruolin Hao
Zhe Wang
Mototsugu Eiraku
Masafumi Inaba
Yoshiko Takahashi
author_sort Rei Yagasaki
collection DOAJ
description The gut undergoes peristaltic movements regulated by intricate cellular interactions. How these interactions emerge in the developing gut remains poorly explored due to a lack of model system. We here developed a novel contractile organoid that is derived from the muscle layer of chicken embryonic hindgut. The organoid contained smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs; pacemaker) with few enteric neurons and underwent periodic contractions. The organoid was formed by self-organization with morphological arrangements of ICCs (internal) and SMCs (peripheral), allowing identification of these cells in live. GCaMP-Ca2+ imaging analyses revealed that Ca2+ transients between ICC-ICC, SMC-SMC, or SMC-ICC were markedly coordinated. Pharmacological studies further suggested a role of gap junctions in ICC-to-SMC signaling, and also possible mechanical feedback from SMC’s contraction to ICC’s pace-making activities. In addition, two organoids with different rhythms became synchronized when mediated by SMCs, unveiling a novel contribution of SMCs to ICC’s pace-making. The gut contractile organoid developed in this study offers a useful model to understand how the rhythm coordination between/among ICCs and SMCs is regulated and maintained during gut development.
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spelling doaj-art-7020b2219dfb437ba7b0dd36e037cd662025-08-22T09:35:25ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2025-08-011310.7554/eLife.97860The gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth musclesRei Yagasaki0https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7830-4391Ryo Nakamura1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0761-0704Yuuki Shikaya2https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3544-9725Ryosuke Tadokoro3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7556-4263Ruolin Hao4Zhe Wang5Mototsugu Eiraku6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9433-9085Masafumi Inaba7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6896-5819Yoshiko Takahashi8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1596-7527Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, JapanInstitute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Polymer Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanInstitute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Polymer Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanInstitute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Polymer Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, JapanThe gut undergoes peristaltic movements regulated by intricate cellular interactions. How these interactions emerge in the developing gut remains poorly explored due to a lack of model system. We here developed a novel contractile organoid that is derived from the muscle layer of chicken embryonic hindgut. The organoid contained smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs; pacemaker) with few enteric neurons and underwent periodic contractions. The organoid was formed by self-organization with morphological arrangements of ICCs (internal) and SMCs (peripheral), allowing identification of these cells in live. GCaMP-Ca2+ imaging analyses revealed that Ca2+ transients between ICC-ICC, SMC-SMC, or SMC-ICC were markedly coordinated. Pharmacological studies further suggested a role of gap junctions in ICC-to-SMC signaling, and also possible mechanical feedback from SMC’s contraction to ICC’s pace-making activities. In addition, two organoids with different rhythms became synchronized when mediated by SMCs, unveiling a novel contribution of SMCs to ICC’s pace-making. The gut contractile organoid developed in this study offers a useful model to understand how the rhythm coordination between/among ICCs and SMCs is regulated and maintained during gut development.https://elifesciences.org/articles/97860gut peristalsisOrganoidoscillationinterstitial cells of cajalsmooth muscle cellsGCaMP
spellingShingle Rei Yagasaki
Ryo Nakamura
Yuuki Shikaya
Ryosuke Tadokoro
Ruolin Hao
Zhe Wang
Mototsugu Eiraku
Masafumi Inaba
Yoshiko Takahashi
The gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscles
eLife
gut peristalsis
Organoid
oscillation
interstitial cells of cajal
smooth muscle cells
GCaMP
title The gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscles
title_full The gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscles
title_fullStr The gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscles
title_full_unstemmed The gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscles
title_short The gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscles
title_sort gut contractile organoid for studying the gut motility regulated by coordinating signals between interstitial cells of cajal and smooth muscles
topic gut peristalsis
Organoid
oscillation
interstitial cells of cajal
smooth muscle cells
GCaMP
url https://elifesciences.org/articles/97860
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