Argyrophile and argentaffin reactions in individual granules of enterochromaffin cells of the guinea pig

Summary Successive staining of cells of the enterochromaffin system of the guinea pig by an argentaffin and an argyrophile method shows that, as in man and rabbit, they can be divided into (a) those in which all granules are apparently argentaffin, (b) those in which all granules are argyrophile but none are argentaffin, and (c) those in which some granules are argentaffin (as well as argyrophile) while others are purely argyrophile. The presence of the third type makes it evident that no hard and fast line of distinction can be drawn between the so called argentaffin and argyrophile cells.I am grateful to Mr. Mohan Lal Sharma for help with the photographs and to Mr. Anand Parkash for technical assistance.     

Gastrointestinal chemosensation: chemosensory cells in the alimentary tract

Sensing potentially beneficial or harmful constituents in the luminal content by specialized cells in the gastrointestinal mucosa is an essential prerequisite for governing digestive processes, initiating protective responses and regulating food intake. Until recently, it was poorly understood how the gastrointestinal tract senses and responds to nutrients and non-nutrients in the diet; however, the enormous progress in unraveling the molecular machinery underlying the responsiveness of gustatory cells in the lingual taste buds to these compounds has been an important starting point for studying intestinal chemosensation. Currently, the field of nutrient sensing in the gastrointestinal tract is evolving rapidly and is benefiting from the deorphanization of previously unliganded G-protein-coupled receptors which respond to important nutrients, such as protein degradation products and free fatty acids as well as from the FACS-assisted isolation of distinct cell populations. This review focuses on mechanisms and principles underlying the chemosensory responsiveness of the alimentary tract. It describes the cell types which might potentially contribute to chemosensation within the gut: cells that can operate as specialized sensors and transducers for luminal factors and which communicate information from the gut lumen by releasing paracrine or endocrine acting messenger molecules. Furthermore, it addresses the current knowledge regarding the expression and localization of molecular elements that may be part of the chemosensory machinery which render some of the mucosal cells responsive to constituents of the luminal content, concentrating on candidate receptors and transporters for sensing nutrients.     

神经递质对豚鼠左心室流出道自律细胞电活动的影响

为研究左心室流出道慢反应自律细胞的神经支配和受体分布,本实验采用标准玻璃微电极细胞内记录技术,分别观测了肾上腺素能和胆碱能受体激动剂及相应的受体拮抗剂对离体豚鼠左心室流出道组织自发慢反应电位的影响。观测指标有：最大舒张电位（maximal diastolic potential,MDP）、动作电位幅度（amplitude of action potential,APA）、0相最大去极速度（maximal rate of depolarization,Vmax）、4相自动去极速度（velocity of diastolic depolarization,VDD）、复极50％时间（50％of duration of action potential,APD50）和90％时间（90％ of duration of action potential,APD50）以及自发放电频率（rate of pacemaker firing,RPF）。结果表明：（1）100μmol／L异丙肾上腺素（isoprenaline,Iso）可使RPF和VDD显著加快（P〈0．01）,MDP绝对值和APA显著增大（P〈0．05,P〈0．01）,Vmax加快（P〈0．05）,APD50缩短（P〈0．01）,这些变化均可被5μmol／L心得安拮抗;（2）100μmol／L肾上腺素（epinephrine,E）可使RPF和VDD加快（P＜0．01,P〈0．05）,APA显著增大（P〈0．001）,Vmax加快（P〈0．05）,APD50和APD90缩短（P＜0．05）;（3）100μmol／L去甲肾上腺素（norepinephrine,NE）可使VDD和RPF加快（P＜0．05）,APA显著增大（P〈0．05）,Vmax明显加快（P〈0．05）,APD50缩短（P〈0．05）,这些变化可被100μmol／L酚妥拉明拮抗;（4）10μmol／L ACh可使VDD和RPF减慢（P〈0．05）,APA显著减小（P〈0．01）,APD50缩短（P〈0．05）;ACh对APD50的缩短效应可被10μmol／L阿托品拮抗（P〈0．05）。结果提示：左心室流出道自律细胞膜上可能存在α-肾上腺素能受体（α-adrenergic receptor,α-AR、β-肾上腺素能受体（β-adrenergic receptor,β-AR）以及M型胆碱能受体（muscarinic receptor,MR）,其自律性电活动可能也接受心交感神经和心迷走神经调控。     

5-Methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine (melatonin) in enterochromaffin cells]

As evidenced from the action of acetone extracts of the mucous layer of the human appendix, these extracts contain a substance capable of bleaching the frog's skin. Model experiments with 0.1% adrenaline, 0.2% noradrenaline, 2.5% hydrocortisone and solutions of various concentrations of synthesized melatonin permitted to identify the above substance as melatonin. The bleaching aciton dependence on the number of enterochromaffin cells (Ec-cells) in the mucous layer of the appendix, and the presence of serotonin in Ec-cells reveal a connection between melatonin and Ec-cells. An average content of 5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine in the human appendix amounts to 0.004 mg per 100 Ec-cells. It is suggested that the epiphysis and enterochromaffin cells compose a common functional neuroendocrine system playing a definite role in maintaining the homeostasis of the organism.     

TRH-like immunoreactivity in endocrine cells and neurons in the gastro-intestinal tract of the rat and guinea pig

Summary By use of the indirect immunofluorescence technique, the cellular localization of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was studied in the gastrointestinal tract of rats and guinea pigs of different ages. TRH-like immunoreactivity (LI) was observed in many pancreatic islet cells of young rats and guinea pigs but only in single cells of 6-month-old rats. In aged guinea pigs, a reduction in the number of TRH-positive cells was evident; however, numerous strongly fluorescent cells were still present. In the guinea pig, TRH-LI was in addition observed in gastrin cells in the stomach. TRH-positive nerve fibers occurred in the myenteric plexus of the oesophagus, stomach and intestine of the rat, and in the muscle layers of the guinea pig. These results suggest a functional role of TRH both as hormone and neuroactive compound in various portions and sites of the gastro-intestinal tract of the rat and guinea pig     

Serotonin and neurotensin-containing cells in the mucosa of the alimentary tract

Localization of serotonin (5-OT)- and neurotensin (NT)-containing cells in the tunica mucosa of the gastric antral part and the duodenum of the rat and chick has been revealed by means of the immunofluorescent method and the method with application of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex. For immune-histochemical revealing of biologically active substances in endocrine cells Sovient antisera are used for the first time. Experiments are performed on injection of antiserotonin serum of various dosage into the rat blood bed. The reaction of serotonin-containing cells of the gastric antral part tunical mucosa and those of the duodenum to changes in serotonin concentration in blood serum is demonstrated.     

叶氏肛刺蛙消化道两种内分泌细胞的研究

应用免疫组织化学方法对叶氏肛刺蛙Yerana yei胃肠道2种内分泌细胞的形态和分布进行研究.5-羟色胺(5-hydroxytryptamine,5-HT)免疫活性细胞分布于消化道各段,胃幽门分布密度最高,然后向两端递减,整个分布曲线大致呈倒"V"字型;生长抑素(somatostain,SS)细胞在消化道各段均有分布,胃幽门最高,除胃贲门处稍高于胃体处外,从幽门向两端递减.5-HT和sS细胞都形态多样,有圆形、卵圆形、锲形、梭形和长柱状等.消化道内分泌细胞的分布差异可能与其食性和生活习性有关;两栖类各物种间内分泌细胞的分布存在差异.     

Ultrastructural immunocytochemical localization of 5-hydroxytryptamine in gastric enterochromaffin cells

Enterochromaffin (EC) cells in the gastrointestinal tract are known to contain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT). The probable ultrastructural localization of 5HT in the dense core vesicles ( DCVs ) of EC cells is based on the use of histochemical techniques, such as argentaffinity and the potassium dichromate reaction. In the present paper we describe an immunocytochemical method for specifically localizing 5HT in EC cells by electron microscopy. Pieces of mucosa from the pyloric region of the rabbit stomach were prepared for electron microscopy by fixation in 0.5% glutaraldehyde-picric acid-formaldehyde without osmication , and then embedded in LX-112. Thick sections (1 micron) were mounted on glass slides and processed for the fluorescence immunocytochemical localization of 5HT. Thin sections (60-90 nm) were mounted on formvar-coated slot grids and processed for the ultrastructural immunocytochemical localization of 5HT. Both the thick and thin sections were processed by an identical procedure, beginning with a 30-min incubation in anti-5HT antiserum diluted 1:1400, followed by an IgG-FITC-gold-labeled second antibody. Fluorescent EC cells were consistently observed in the thick sections of gastric mucosa. By carefully trimming and sectioning the adjacent block face, the identical EC cell could be identified by electron microscopy. A quantitative analysis revealed the number of gold particles in EC cells to be significantly greater over the cores of DCVs than over the non-core cytoplasm or over the nucleus. Absorption of the primary antiserum with 5HT abolished all labeling, while absorption with a 5HT precursor, 5-hydroxytryptophan, did not significantly reduce core labeling. Non-EC epithelial cells were not labeled. These results demonstrate that immunoreactive 5HT in EC cells is stored in the cores of DCVs .     

抗心律失常药对豚鼠左心室流出道自律细胞电活动的影响

目的:研究抗心律失常药对豚鼠左心室流出道自律细胞电活动的影响。方法:采用标准玻璃微电极细胞内记录技术,记录并分析了四类抗心律失常药及腺苷对离体豚鼠左心室流出道自发慢反应电位的效应。结果:ⅠA类抗心律失常药1μmol/L奎尼丁可使左心室流出道自发慢反应电位的放电频率(RPF)和4相自动去极速度(VDD)减慢(P0.05),动作电位幅度(APA)降低(P0.05),0相最大去极速度(Vmax)减慢(P0.05),复极50%(APD50)和90%时间(APD90)延长(P0.05);ⅠB类抗心律失常药1μmol/L利多卡因灌流标本后,RPF和VDD减慢(P0.05),最大复极电位(MDP)绝对值和APA减小(P0.05),Vmax减慢(P0.05),APD50和APD90缩短(P0.05);ⅠC类抗心律失常药0.5μmol/L普罗帕酮可使RPF(P0.01)和VDD(P0.05)减慢,APA降低(P0.05),Vmax减慢(P0.01),APD50(P0.01)和APD90(P0.05)延长;Ⅱ类抗心律失常药5μmol/L普萘洛尔可使RPF和VDD减慢(P0.01),MDP绝对值和APA减小(P0.01),Vmax减慢(P0.05),APD50和APD90延长(P0.01);Ⅲ类抗心律失常药1μmol/L胺碘酮可使RPF和VDD减慢(P0.01),APA降低(P0.01),Vmax减慢(P0.05),APD50(P0.01)和APD90(P0.05)延长;Ⅳ类抗心律失常药1μmol/L维拉帕米可使RPF和VDD减慢(P0.01),MDP绝对值和APA减小(P0.05),Vmax减慢(P0.05),APD50和APD90延长(P0.05);50μmol/L腺苷可使RPF和VDD减慢(P0.05),APA降低(P0.05),Vmax减慢(P0.01),APD50和APD90缩短(P0.05)。结论:抗心律失常药均可显著降低左心室流出道组织的自律性,通过改变APD50和APD90影响有效不应期而起到抗心律失常作用。     

The thyrotropic cells of the guinea pig pituitary

Summary Three different immunocytoenzymatic techniques were used to identify and characterize the thyrotropic cells in the pituitary of normal guinea pigs at the ultrastructural level (superimposition technique, immunocytochemical technique using P.A.P. and indirect immunohistoenzymatic method before embedding).These cells are characterized by a dark cytoplasm with granules ranging from 1500 to 2000 Å in diameter. The appearance of these granules is very variable: some display a marked electron density and are homogeneous but some have a less marked electron density with a more electron dense peripherally situated region.The TSH molecules are essentially confined to the granules but when the immunocytochemical reactions are carried out before embedding, positive staining is also seen in the cytoplasm and the outer surface of most of the rough endoplasmic reticulum membranes. These results are discussed.We thank D. Quief for technical assistance. This work was supported by a grant from U.E.R. III LilleAttaché de Recherche INSERM     

5-Hydroxytryptamine2 and 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptors mediate serotonin-induced short-circuit current in pig jejunum

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of methysergide, ketanserin, granisetron, cisapride, and renzapride on serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-evoked short-circuit current in muscle and myenteric plexus-stripped pig jejunum using the Ussing chamber technique. Ketanserin, granisetron, cisapride, and renzapride all reduced the 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced increase in short-circuit current by about 50%. Combination of ketanserin and granisetron only reduced the 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced peak increase in short-circuit current by 25%. Cisapride caused a small concentration-dependent increase in short-circuit current. Atropine and hexamethonium both almost completely suppressed the cisapride-induced peak increase in short-circuit current. Ketanserin, granisetron, methysergide, and renzapride did not alter the basal short-circuit current. These results suggest that 5-hydroxytryptamine elicits an increase in short-circuit current by activating epithelial and submucosal 5-hydroxytryptamine₂ and 5-hydroxytryptamine₃ receptor subtypes. Furthermore, the short-circuit current-increasing effect of cisapride, is due to activation of at least muscarinic and nicotinic receptors.Abbreviations 5-HT 5-hydroxytryptamine, serotonin - AUC area under the curve - EC enterochromaffin - ENS enteric nervous system - GI gastrointestinal - MW molecular weight - 5-HTP-DP N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptophyl-5-hydroxytrytophan amide - SSC short-circuit current - TTX tetrodotoxin