Chromogranin A (CGA) in the gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) endocrine system. I. CGA in the mammalian endocrine pancreas.
Chromogranin A (CGA), a protein at first detected in the adrenal medulla, has recently been found also in other organs, e.g. the endocrine pancreas. However, immunohistochemical findings concerning the cellular source of pancreatic CGA were controversial. Therefore, the endocrine pancreas of 10 mammalian species (man, tupaia, mole, cat, dog, pig, guinea pig, rabbit, rat) was investigated immunohistochemically for CGA-like immunoreactivities on serial semithin plastic sections using a high-titer polyclonal antiserum against bovine CGA. The results show that basically all pancreatic endocrine cell types are CGA-immunoreactive; however, every species has its own pattern of CGA-immunoreactive cell types. Other findings of the present studies indicate that the physiological function of CGA in pancreatic endocrine cells is related to the storage mechanisms of peptide hormones. Finally, a methodological approach is given to obtain not only qualitative but also semi-quantitative data during immunohistochemical investigations.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002417:Cattle; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D004285:Dogs; D004759:Enterochromaffin Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005934:Glucagon / Q000378:metabolism; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000032:analysis*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D014417:Tupaia
C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D007106:Immune Sera; D007328:Insulin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C506153:chromogranin A, rat; D013004:Somatostatin; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide; D005934:Glucagon