Telocytes in Different Organs of Vertebrates: Potential Essence Cells of the Meridian in Chinese Traditional Medicine

Abstract

Telocytes (TCs) are very long, non-neuronal, somatic cells whose function is widely believed to be involved in providing connections between different cells within the body. The cellular characteristics of TCs in various organs have been studied by immunohistochemistry, double immunofluorescence and electron microscopy in different vertebrate species, and here we investigate the proposed properties of these cells in the context of the “meridian” in Chinese Traditional Medicine (CTM). The results show that TCs and their long extensions, telopodes (Tps) develop a complicated network by homo- and heterocellular junctions in the connective tissue throughout the body, which can connect the skin with distant organs. In concept, this is the analogue of ancient meridian maps connecting skin acupoints with the viscera. Various active cells and extracellular vesicles including exosomes move along Tps, which, along with developed mitochondria within the podoms of Tps, may account for the structural evidence for “Qi” (vital energy and signal communication) in CTM. Morphological associations of TCs with the nerve, vascular, endocrine, and immune systems are also compatible with previously proposed meridian theories in CTM. Close relationships exist between TCs and collagen fiber bundles and some structures in skin fascia provide the microanatomical support for acupuncture treatment based on the meridian principle. The dynamicity in the distribution and structure of TCs reflects the plasticity of the meridian at the cellular level. As the same attribute, both the meridian and the TC have been associated with various diseases. Here, we summarize structural analogues between the TC and the meridian, suggesting that TCs have the cytological characteristics of the CTM meridian. We, therefore, hypothesize that TCs are the “essence cells” of the CTM meridian, which can connect and integrate different cells and structures in the connective tissue.

Telocytes in the Female Reproductive System: Up-to-Date Knowledge, Challenges and Possible Clinical Applications

“…It can be summarized that the relationship between quantitative and/or qualitative alteration of TCs in the etiopathogenesis of a diverse spectrum of pathological conditions has been a staple motif in almost the whole bulk of publications on TCs published to this day. Some research teams, e.g., Yonghong et al, went so far as to associate TCs with such speculative concepts, like meridians in traditional Chinese medicine [74]. Regardless of a particular organ, or animal species, TCs have been discussed in the development of so many different pathological conditions that a considerable proportion of researchers have been frowning upon a notion that a singular cell population can have such an impact [75].…”

The Cellular Architecture of the Primo Vascular System

“…3) Newly discovered cells as telocyte and the PVS Further study is needed to identify the relationship between various newly discovered cells, such as telocyte and the PVS. Telocytes are associated with the vascular, nerve, immune, and endocrine systems [44]. In addition, telocytes have been found at different body parts of human and different animals [45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55].…”

“…Information can be transferred from telocyte to neighboring cells or non-neighboring cells via the release of extracellular vesicles [45,55]. Telopodes form a complicated network in the connective tissue of different body regions and can also connect the skin to different organs telocytes are hypothesized to be essential cells in Chinese Traditional Medicine meridians due to their ability to connect different connective tissue structural components throughout the body [44]. Moreover, Telocyte-like cells were described in the rabbit vagina recently [56].…”

Cevik’s three-cycle acupuncture (CTCA)

“…As we mentioned before, we called each group one cycle and created three-cycle acupuncture. We named the first cycle in the three cycles as the Lung cycle, the second cycle as the Heart, and the third cycle as the Liver cycle (6,7). Each cycle consists of four organs.…”