Immunofluorescence demonstration of somatostatin-containing cells in the digestive tract of the monkeys irus, Macaca Papio hamadryas and Cercopithecus aethiops]

Indirect immunofluorescence technique with antisomatostatin serum has allowed us to detect somatostatin containing cells in the gastro-intestinal tract of three species of monkeys : Macacus irus, Papio hamadryas and Cercopithecus aethiops. These cells are localized only in the stomach, in the duodenum, and in the jejunum-ileum. No somatostatin cells were encountered in the esophagus and in the colon. The maximum of somatostatin positive cells is localized in the duodenum, as well in the Lieberkühn's glands as in the Brunner's glands. These cells are always separated from each other ; they were found only in glandular epithelium ; no immunopositive cells were observed in the surface epithelium. No morphological or numerical differences were noted between the three species of monkeys.