Long Slender Cytoplasmic Extensions: A Common Feature of Neuroendocrine Cells?

• Published in: Journal of neuroendocrinology Vol. 19; no. 9; pp. 739 - 742
• Main Authors: Hauso, Ø., Gustafsson, B. I., Waldum, H. L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2007; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Shape; cytoplasmic extensions; D-cell; Enterochromaffin Cells - cytology; Enterochromaffin-like Cells - cytology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; G-cell; Gastric Mucosa - cytology; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa - cytology; morphology; neuroendocrine; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Somatostatin - metabolism; Vertebrates: endocrinology; G-cell; D-cell; neuroendocrine; cytoplasmic extensions; Morphology; Neurosecretory cell
• ISSN: 0953-8194; 1365-2826
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2007.01578.x

We have recently developed a new method for visualisation of gut mucosal cells and demonstrated that enterochromaffin (EC) and enterochromaffin‐like (ECL) cells possess cytoplasmic extensions. The aim of the present study was to characterise the morphology of D‐ and G‐cells. The D‐cells in the stomach differed morphologically from intestinal D‐cells, suggesting two distinct subpopulations of D‐cells. Some D‐cells appeared to be interconnected. No cell‐to‐cell contact between parietal and D‐cells was found. Both D‐ and G‐cells possessed long cytoplasmic extensions corresponding with our previous descriptions of EC and ECL cells. We propose that all neuroendocrine cells have the ability to develop cytoplasmic extensions, enabling them to signal to their target cells in a neurocrine manner.