Morphological basis of the interactions between endocrine cell types in the pancreatic islets of the teleost, Blennius gattoruggine.
The endocrine pancreas of the teleost fish Blennius gattoruggine was studied by immunochemistry using both light and electron microscopy. Generally, one large Brockmann body, along with intermediate and small islets, was found. Cells immunoreactive (IR) to anti-insulin (B), anti-glucagon (A) anti-somatostatin (D) anti-pancreatic polypeptide and anti-PYY sera were detected with B cells located at the center of the islet and the other cell types forming a peripheral mantle. The B-cell cytoplasm showed rows of microtubules close to the secretory granules and perpendicular to the plasmalemma. The ultrathin section images revealed exocytotic and endocytotic features, and the presence of intercellular gap junctions between the plasmalemma of contiguous cells, suggesting intercellular routes of communication, e.g. via autocrine and/or paracrine mechanism. These features were observed in all of the cell types, and were abundant in D cells. D cells were particularly numerous in the islets and were disposed close to A and B cells, as observed in other teleost species. The most peripheral B cells, in closer contact with D cells than the central ones, appeared strongly immunolabeled, perhaps owing to the inhibitory action of somatostatin. Some D cells exhibited a long protrusion directed towards the center of the islet. In view of their cytological characteristics and their secretion, D cells might have an important role in the modulation of A and B-cell secretion in an endocrine and/or paracrine fashion.
Dipartimento di Biologia evolutiva e comparata, Università Federico II di Napoli, Italia.
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D000818:Animals; D002477:Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004705:Endocytosis; D005089:Exocytosis; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005934:Glucagon / Q000032:analysis; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide / Q000032:analysis; D019894:Peptide YY / Q000032:analysis; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis
D007328:Insulin; D019894:Peptide YY; D013004:Somatostatin; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide; D005934:Glucagon