title: Immunoreactivity of gastric ECL and A-like cells in fasted and fed rats and mice.
abstract: The oxyntic mucosa of rat and mouse stomach harbors histamine-producing ECL cells and ghrelin-producing A-like cells. The ECL cells are known to be active when the circulating gastrin levels are elevated in response to food intake. The A-like cells are the main source of circulating ghrelin. In response to starvation, the circulating ghrelin is elevated as a hunger signal. The aim of the present work was to study the correlation between the immunoreactivities and cellular activities of the ECL cells and A-like cells. Rats were either fed or fasted for 48 h and mice for 24 h. Immunohistochemical examination with antiserum against chromogranin A-derived fragment pancreastatin revealed both the ECL cells and the A-like cells without a difference between fasted and fed animals. Histamine was limited to the ECL cells with no significant difference between fasted and fed animals. Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) immunoreactivity occurred predominately in the ECL cells of the fed, but not fasted, animals in which the HDC enzymatic activity in the oxyntic mucosa was higher than in fasted animals. Ghrelin immunoreactivity was increased in terms of intensity, but not cell density in fasted animals. Thus, the immunoreactivities of ECL cells and A-like cells might be affected by starvation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Medical Technology, Sør-Trøndelag University College, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Torbergsen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wiksén
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahimipoor
authors.forename: U G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Falkmer
authors.forename: C-M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004032:Diet; D019861:Enterochromaffin-like Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood; D054439:Ghrelin; D006632:Histamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006640:Histidine Decarboxylase / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D010187:Pancreatic Hormones / Q000032:analysis; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013217:Starvation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005755:Gastrins; D054439:Ghrelin; D010187:Pancreatic Hormones; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D006632:Histamine; D006640:Histidine Decarboxylase; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate