title: Distribution and coexistence of chromogranin A-, serotonin- and pancreastatin-like immunoreactivity in endocrine-like cells of the human anal canal.
abstract: The comparative distribution and coexistence of chromogranin A (CGA)-, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT)- and pancreastatin (PST)-like immunoreactivity in endocrine-like cells of the human anal canal was investigated by light-microscopic immunocytochemistry. The largest population of colorectal endocrine-like cells consisted of CGA-immunoreactive (ir) cells, followed by the 5-HT-ir and PST-ir cell population. In the anal transitional zone (ATZ), CGA- and 5-HT-immunoreactivity was equally distributed; ir-PST was confined to a smaller endocrine-like cell population. In the squamous zone and the perianal skin, Merkel cells in the basal layer of the epidermis and hair follicles exhibited ir-CGA and ir-PST but no ir-5-HT. Double immunofluorescence on identical sections revealed distinct coexistence patterns. In the colorectal zone, about 2/3 of the CGA-ir endocrine-like cells also stained for 5-HT, whereas in the ATZ epithelium, CGA- and 5-HT-immunoreactivity completely overlapped. No 5-HT-immunoreactivity could be detected in CGA-ir Merkel cells of the squamous zone of the anal canal and the perianal skin. PST-immunoreactivity was present in about 1/3 of the CGA-ir colorectal and anal transitional endocrine-like cells and in about 1/4 of the Merkel-cell population staining for CGA. These chemically heterogeneous phenotypes of the anal endocrine-like and Merkel cells may reflect a specific regulatory role of these cells in the various epithelial linings of the human anal canal and the perianal skin.
authors.affiliation: Anatomisches Institut, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hörsch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weihe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hancke
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal / Q000166:cytology*; D002452:Cell Count; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D010187:Pancreatic Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D010187:Pancreatic Hormones; C050836:pancreastatin; D012701:Serotonin