title: Distribution and chemical phenotypes of neuroendocrine cells in the human anal canal.
abstract: The presence, morphology and distribution of anal neuroendocrine cells were investigated with a panel of antisera and antibodies for neural markers, biogenic amines, and neuropeptides by the sensitive streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase immunocytochemistry, and coexistence patterns of neurochemically characterized neuroendocrine cells were examined by double immunofluorescence cytochemistry. In the colorectal zone, endocrine-like cells were immunoreactive for chromogranin A (CGA), serotonin (5-HT), pancreastatin (PST), peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and somatostatin (SOM). Coexistence patterns of endocrine-like cell phenotypes with CGA and GLP-1 were heterogeneous. In the anal transitional zone (ATZ), endocrine-like cells were immunoreactive for CGA, 5-HT and PST. Furthermore, six new phenotypes of endocrine-like cells were characterized by their immunoreactivity for PYY, GLP-1, protein gene product 9.5 (PGP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neurotensin (NT), and SOM. All endocrine-like cell types in the ATZ were immunoreactive for CGA. In the squamous zone and perianal skin, CGA-immunopositive Merkel cells were also immunoreactive for CGRP, PST, NT and PGP. Neuroendocrine cells in the anal canal exhibit epithelial zone-related diversities in their neurochemical phenotypes and coexistence patterns, which may indicate specific regulatory functions. In the epithelium of the ATZ, which is regarded as metaplastic, endocrine-like cells expressed phenotypes characteristic of the neuroendocrine cells of the colorectal zone and the squamous zones, indicating a possible metaplastic origin of these cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hörsch
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Göke
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Büchler
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weihe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000166:cytology*; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000166:cytology*; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000378:metabolism; D010187:Pancreatic Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D019894:Peptide YY; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D012007:Rectum / Q000166:cytology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010187:Pancreatic Hormones; D010455:Peptides; D019894:Peptide YY; C050836:pancreastatin; D012701:Serotonin; D009496:Neurotensin; D013004:Somatostatin; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide