Summary
The distribution of argyrophile and argentaffin cells has been studied in the small intestine of five human adults. In proceeding cranio-caudally the characteristic feature of their distribution is the presence of eight to ten waves of rising and falling density. A progressive decrease in density of cells from duodenum to terminal ileum (described by previous workers) is not present.
Re-examination of findings reported earlier in the small intestines of human foetuses shows that a predominant ‘U’ shaped pattern of distribution is present in younger foetuses. This changes to the adult pattern by full term. The appearance of the adult pattern occurs earlier for argyrophile cells than for argentaffin cells.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bloom, W., and D. W. Fawcett: In: A textbook of histology, 8th ed., p. 435. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co. 1962.
Gillman, J.: The structure of the basal granular cell (argentaffine) in the human (Bantu) alimentary canal with special reference to the anti-anaemic factor. S. Afr. J. med. Sci. 7, 144–159 (1942).
Hamperl, H.: Über die gelben (chromaffinen) Zellen im Epithel des Verdauungstraktes. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch. 2, 506–533 (1925).
Jacobson, W.: The argentaffin cells and pernicious anaemia. J. Path. Bact. 49, 1–19 (1939).
Schofield, G.: The argentaffin and mucous cells of the human intestine. Acta anat. (Basel) 18, 256–272 (1953).
Singh, I.: The prenatal development of enterochromaffin cells in the human gastro-intestinal tract. J. Anat. (Lond.) 97, 377–387 (1963).
—: A new argyrophile method for the rapid staining of enterochromaffin cells in paraffin sections. Acta anat. (Basel) 59, 290–296 (1964a).
—: On argyrophile and argentaffin reactions in individual granules of enterochromaffin cells of the human gastro-intestinal tract. J. Anat. (Lond.) 98, 497–500 (1964b).
—: Methods of quantitative estimation of enterochromaffin cells. Anat. Anz. 117, 322–326 (1965a).
—: The relative proportion of pre-enterochromaffin (argyrophile) and enterochromaffin (argentaffin) cells in the gastro-intestinal tract of human foetuses. Z. Zellforsch. 67, 338–342 (1965b).
- The distribution of cells of the enterochromaffin system in the gastrointestinal tract of human foetuses. Acta anat. (Basel) (in press) (1966).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, I. The distribution of enterochromaffin cells in the human small intestine. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 76, 220–227 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343099
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343099