title: Correlative immunocytochemical and electron microscopic studies: identification of (entero)glucagon- somatostatin- and pancreatic polypeptide-like-containing cells in the human colon.
abstract: Correlative immunocytochemical and electron microscopic studies, using the semi thin-thin technic, were performed to identify the (entero) glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide-like immunoreactive cells of the human colonic mucosa. Mean granule diameter for each cell type was estimated according to two methods and histograms showing the granule size distribution were constructed. A total of 139 immunostained cells identified at the ultrastructural level were analyzed. Mean granule diameter for (entero)glucagon-containing cells was 318 +/- 11 nm but a reduction of granule size with age was noteworthy: granules were larger in the fetus (mean diameter 350 +/- 15) than in adults (mean diameter 310 +/- 10 nm). Somatostatin-containing cells, very rare in adults, were present in the fetal distal colon. Their general mean granule diameter was 354 +/- 18 nm but many cells had a mean granule diameter of more than 400 nm. A pancreatic polypeptide-like immunoreactivity was found only in (entero)glucagon-containing cells, pointing out the possible occurrence of both peptides (or of similar sequences) in the same cells. Previous ultrastructural studies dealing with a tentative classification of the human colonic endocrine cells were compared with the present data.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003106:Colon / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004702:Endocrine Glands / Q000166:cytology*; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide / Q000032:analysis*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D013004:Somatostatin; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides