G-cell hyperplasia in chronic hypercalcemia. An immunocytochemical and morphometric analysis.
The distribution of antropyloric G cells was mapped immunocytochemically and quantitated morphometrically in chronically hypercalcemic and normocalcemic patients. In the normocalcemic (control) patients, the G-cells were sparse in number and confined to the lower third of the antropyloric mucosa, where they were distributed singly or in small clusters within the glands. The absolute G cell (AGC) counts were 5.8 +/- 0.26 (mean +/- SE) per 0.25 sq mm of mucosa. The hypercalcemic patients showed a marked increase in their antropyloric G-cell population. The cells were uniformly distributed throughout the lower two-thirds of the mucosal thickness and were present in large numbers in practically every gland. The AGC counts in these hypercalcemic patients were 48.2 +/- 13.0, a statistically significant increase. These observations indicate that in man chronic hypercalcemia of diverse etiology is associated with antropyloric G-cell hyperplasia. The physiologic significance of this finding and its role in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease needs to be elucidated.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008297:Male; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000473:pathology*; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000150:complications