Table 2:

Key points in molecular pathogenesis of gastroparesis

Loss or injury to ICC, the gastric pacemaker cells, is required for delayed gastric emptying to develop. Smaller subsets of patients may have loss of enteric nerves and fibrosis in muscle layers. Traditional neutrophilic immune infiltration is not common in gastroparesis patients. Macrophage-driven immune dysregulation and oxidative stress appear to be driving injury to ICC. Interactions between immune and enteric nervous system needs to be further studied.