Coexpression of the gastrin and somatostatin genes in differentiating and neoplastic human cells.
Double immunofluorescence and in situ hybridizations performed on adjacent thin sections show that a population of normal antropyloric cells of the human stomach expresses both gastrin and somatostatin mRNA's and the corresponding peptides. Such cells were present in both adult and fetal antropyloric mucosa and were situated in the regenerative (isthmus) region of the antropyloric tubes. It is, hence, likely that these cells represent immature endocrine cells that yet have to be committed to either the gastrin or somatostatin lineage. Cells coexpressing gastrin and somatostatin were also detected in pancreatic endocrine tumours. The presence of gastrin-somatostatin cells during development and in tumours suggests that gastrin and somatostatin cells may differentiate from such multipotent precursor cells.
Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
L I
LI
Larsson
J E
JE
Tingstedt
D M
DM
Hougaard
D000328:Adult; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005755:Gastrins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D005755:Gastrins; D013004:Somatostatin