Glial cell that provides support to the enteric nervous system. It is involved in enteric neurotransmission, in maintaining the integrity of the mucosal barrier of the gut and serves as a link between the nervous and immune systems of the gut. In enteric nerve strands, glial processes ensheath multiaxonal bundles which distinguishes enteric glia from all other peripheral glia. Ultrastructurally, the most conspicuous trait of an enteroglial cell is the presence of 10 nm filaments, which criss-cross the cell body, form axial bundles in the processes and appear to firmly anchor the cells to the ganglionic surfaces. Similar to astrocytes, their main constituent is glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). [ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16336493 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25975510 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17483847 ]
Synonyms: enteric glial cell