Relationship between atrial natriuretic peptide-immunoreactive cells and microvessels in rat gastric mucosa
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the ultrastructural localization of atrial natriuretic peptide
(ANP)-synthesizing cells and the relationship between ANP-synthesizing cells
and microvessels in rat gastric mucosa. Methods: Immunohistochemistry techniques
and postembedding immunoelectron microscopy techniques were used to
validate the findings regarding the expression of ANP-synthesizing cells and the
ultrastructural localization of ANP-synthesizing cells in the gastric mucosa. Histochemistry
techniques and the tannic acid-ferric chloride method (TA-Fe staining
method) were used to reveal microvessel density and the distribution of ANPsynthesizing
cells in different regions of the stomach. Results: Cells expressing
ANP were localized and ANP-synthesizing cells were identified as enterochromaffin
(EC) cells in the gastric mucosa. ANP-synthesizing cells existed in different
regions of the stomach. The percentage ANP-synthesizing cells in the mucosa
was greatest in the fundus (46.7%±5.3%), intermediate in the antrum (40.1%±
4.5%), and least in the body (21.6%±3.6%). There was a positive relationship
between the percentage of ANP-synthesizing cells and the density of microvessels
in the antral mucosa, but not in the fundus or body mucosa. Conclusion: ANP is
synthesized by EC cells in rat gastric mucosa, and ANP-synthesizing cells are
most dense in the gastric fundus. ANP may act not only as a regional autocrine
and/or paracrine regulator, but also as an endocrine regulatory peptide in the
gastrointestinal tract.
Keywords:
(ANP)-synthesizing cells and the relationship between ANP-synthesizing cells
and microvessels in rat gastric mucosa. Methods: Immunohistochemistry techniques
and postembedding immunoelectron microscopy techniques were used to
validate the findings regarding the expression of ANP-synthesizing cells and the
ultrastructural localization of ANP-synthesizing cells in the gastric mucosa. Histochemistry
techniques and the tannic acid-ferric chloride method (TA-Fe staining
method) were used to reveal microvessel density and the distribution of ANPsynthesizing
cells in different regions of the stomach. Results: Cells expressing
ANP were localized and ANP-synthesizing cells were identified as enterochromaffin
(EC) cells in the gastric mucosa. ANP-synthesizing cells existed in different
regions of the stomach. The percentage ANP-synthesizing cells in the mucosa
was greatest in the fundus (46.7%±5.3%), intermediate in the antrum (40.1%±
4.5%), and least in the body (21.6%±3.6%). There was a positive relationship
between the percentage of ANP-synthesizing cells and the density of microvessels
in the antral mucosa, but not in the fundus or body mucosa. Conclusion: ANP is
synthesized by EC cells in rat gastric mucosa, and ANP-synthesizing cells are
most dense in the gastric fundus. ANP may act not only as a regional autocrine
and/or paracrine regulator, but also as an endocrine regulatory peptide in the
gastrointestinal tract.