title: [Gut hormone secreting cells--unsolved problems].
abstract: The gut endocrine cells generally are bipolar paraneurons, extending from the epithelial base to the luminal surface. The cells, also known as the basal-granulated cells, produce peptidic and amine ++ signal substances to release them in response to the luminal stimuli. The substances are released not only in an endocrine fashion, but also, and more importantly, in a paracrine way, thus stimulating nervous, muscular, secretory and other elements in the vicinity. Attention should be paid also to other secretions of the gut endocrine cells, ATP and chromogranins (acidic carrier proteins) which are co-released with the peptides and amines. Various gut hormones have been demonstrated to be released into the gut lumen, besides into the blood and tissue spaces. The possible mechanism of this partial exocrine function of the endocrine cells remains to be explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004759:Enterochromaffin Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D007419:Intestinal Secretions / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D002864:Chromogranins; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate