Telocytes: An Emerging Component of Stem Cell Niche Microenvironment

Telocytes (TCs) are newly identified interstitial cells characterized by thin and long cytoplasmic processes, called telopodes, which exhibit a distinctive moniliform shape and, often, a sinuous trajectory. Telopodes typically organize in intricate networks within the stromal space of most organs, w...

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Published inThe journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry Vol. 69; no. 12; pp. 795 - 818
Main Authors Rosa, Irene, Marini, Mirca, Manetti, Mirko
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.12.2021
Subjects
Animals
Heart
Humans
Intercellular Junctions
Lung
Muscle, Skeletal
Regeneration - immunology
Regeneration - physiology
Regenerative Medicine
Reviews
Skin
Stem Cell Niche
Stem Cells
Stromal Cells
Telocytes - metabolism
intestine
stromal cells
stemness
telocytes
stem cell niches
skeletal muscle
tissue microenvironment
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Summary:Telocytes (TCs) are newly identified interstitial cells characterized by thin and long cytoplasmic processes, called telopodes, which exhibit a distinctive moniliform shape and, often, a sinuous trajectory. Telopodes typically organize in intricate networks within the stromal space of most organs, where they communicate with neighboring cells by means of specialized cell-to-cell junctions or shedding extracellular vesicles. Hence, TCs are generally regarded as supporting cells that help in the maintenance of local tissue homeostasis, with an ever-increasing number of studies trying to explore their functions both in physiological and pathological conditions. Notably, TCs appear to be part of stem cell (SC) niches in different organs, including the intestine, skeletal muscle, heart, lung, and skin. Indeed, growing evidence points toward a possible implication of TCs in the regulation of the activity of tissue-resident SCs and in shaping the SC niche microenvironment, thus contributing to tissue renewal and repair. Here, we review how the introduction of TCs into the scientific literature has deepened our knowledge of the stromal architecture focusing on the intestine and skeletal muscle, two organs in which the recently unveiled unique relationship between TCs and SCs is currently in the spotlight as potential target for tissue regenerative purposes.
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These authors participated equally in the preparation of the manuscript.
ISSN:0022-1554
1551-5044
1551-5044
DOI:10.1369/00221554211025489