title: Effect of gastrin on differentiation of rat intestinal epithelial cells in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of gastrin on differentiation of IEC-6 cell line in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  IEC-6 cells were incubated with gastrin. On day 7 after treatment, cell morphology was examined by light microscope, and on day 20, the cellular ultrastructures were examined by electron microscope. After exposure to gastrin for 6 hours, villin mRNA was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and on day 7, the expression of villin was examined by immunocytochemical analysis with laser confocal microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After exposure to gastrin, IEC-6 cells showed differentiated phenotypes as villas enterocytes and contained an abundance of plasma, small nuclei with nucleoli, and were arranged regularly. There were numerous microvilli around edge of the cells, and several cells showed columnar structures. Villin mRNA expression in cytoplasm was increased in comparison with control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differentiated characteristics of villus enterocytes and phenotypic changes of rat intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) are induced by gastrin, and the effects of gastrin are correlated to increased villin expression.
authors.affiliation: Piwei Institute, Guangzhou University of TCM, Guangzhou, 510405, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ru-Liu
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Jing-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D005755:Gastrins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005755:Gastrins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C026615:villin