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The chemical coding of 5-hydroxytryptamine containing enteroendocrine cells in the mouse gastrointestinal tract

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Abstract

The majority of 5-HT (serotonin) in the body is contained in enteroendocrine cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa. From the time of their discovery over 80 years ago, the 5-HT-containing cells have been regarded as a class of cell that is distinct from enteroendocrine cells that contain peptide hormones. However, recent studies have cast doubt on the concept of there being distinct classes of enteroendocrine cells, each containing a single hormone or occasionally more than one hormone. Instead, data are rapidly accumulating that there are complex patterns of colocalisation of hormones that identify multiple subclasses of enteroendocrine cells. In the present work, multiple labelling immunohistochemistry is used to investigate patterns of colocalisation of 5-HT with enteric peptide hormones. Over 95 % of 5-HT cells in the duodenum also contained cholecystokinin and about 40 % of them also contained secretin. In the jejunum, about 75 % of 5-HT cells contained cholecystokinin but not secretin and 25 % contained 5-HT plus both cholecystokinin and secretin. Small proportions of 5-HT cells contained gastrin or somatostatin in the stomach, PYY or GLP-1 in the small intestine and GLP-1 or somatostatin in the large intestine. Rare or very rare 5-HT cells contained ghrelin (stomach), neurotensin (small and large intestines), somatostatin (small intestine) and PYY (in the large intestine). It is concluded that 5-HT-containing enteroendocrine cells are heterogeneous in their chemical coding and by implication in their functions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Yohan Reynaud, Josiane Fakhry, Linda Fothergill, Brid Callaghan, Mitchell Ringuet, Billie Hunne & John B. Furness

  2. InVivo Animal Nutrition & Health, Talhouët, 56250, Saint-Nolff, France

    David M. Bravo

  3. Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia

    John B. Furness

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  1. Yohan Reynaud
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  2. Josiane Fakhry
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  3. Linda Fothergill
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  4. Brid Callaghan
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  5. Mitchell Ringuet
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  6. Billie Hunne
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  7. David M. Bravo
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  8. John B. Furness
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Correspondence to John B. Furness.

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Reynaud, Y., Fakhry, J., Fothergill, L. et al. The chemical coding of 5-hydroxytryptamine containing enteroendocrine cells in the mouse gastrointestinal tract. Cell Tissue Res 364, 489–497 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-015-2349-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-015-2349-7

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