title: An immunohistochemical study of gastrointestinal endocrine cells in the BALB/c mouse.
abstract: The distributions and frequencies of some endocrine cells in the eight portions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of BALB/c mouse were studied. Endocrine cells were stained using immunohistochemical method with seven types of antisera against bovine chromogranin (BCG), serotonin, gastrin, cholecystokinin (CCK)-8, somatostatin, glucagon and human pancreatic polypeptide (HPP), and the regional distributions and their relative frequencies were observed in the eight portions of the GIT of BALB/c mice. All seven types of immunoreactive (IR) cells were identified. Most of the IR cells in the intestinal portion were generally spherical or spindle in shape (open type cell) while round-shaped cells (closed type cell) were found in the intestinal gland and stomach regions occasionally. Their relative frequencies varied according to each portion of the GIT. BCG-IR cells were observed throughout the whole GIT except for the rectum and they were most predominant in the pylorus. Serotonin-IR cells were detected throughout the whole GIT and they showed the highest frequency in the fundus. Gastrin- and CCK-IR cells were restricted to the pylorus and duodenum with a majority in the pylorus and rare or a few frequencies in the duodenum. Compared with other mammals, somatostatin-IR cells were restricted to the fundus and pylorus with a few frequencies, respectively. In addition, glucagon- and HPP-IR cells were restricted to the fundus and duodenum, respectively, with relative low frequencies. Some species-dependent unique distributions and frequencies of endocrine cells were observed in the GIT of BALB/c mouse compared with other rodents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Kyungsan Univesrity, Kyungsan, Kyungpook, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004064:Digestive System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D019858:Enteroendocrine Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000033:anatomy & histology*