Summary
AChE activity in pancreas of some amphibians, reptiles and birds was investigated with light microscope using Karnovsky's technique.
A nervous and an extranervous localization of the enzyme showing considerable qualitative and quantitative differences depending on the systematic group, could be discerned. Pancreatic peripheral cholinergic autonomic system comprises nerve fibers and perikarya. The latter seem to occur in newt and frogs as Cajal's interstitial cells (CIC) and are undoubtedly present in birds as CIC and as ganglionic cells. In lizard and snakes they were not present.
The extranervous localization of AChE activity was observed in islet cells in frogs, lizards and snakes, also in the walls of blood vessels of all investigated poikilotherms.
The findings are compared with results previously obtained in mammalian pancreas or in other organs. Some hypotheses on the physiological significance of enzyme presence in endocrine cells, as well as their belonging to APUD cell series are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cajal, S. R.: Neuvas aplicaciones del método de coloración de Golgi. Sobre le red nerviosa ganglionar de las vellosidades intestinales. Gac. med. catal. 12, 614–616 (1889).
Comline, R. S., Hickson, J. C. D., Message, M. A.: Nervous tissue in the pancreas of different species. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 170, P 47 (1963).
Coupland, R. E.: The innervation of pancreas of the rat, cat and rabbit as revealed by the cholinesterase technique. J. Anat. (Lond.) 92, 143–149 (1958).
Dieterlen-Lievre, F.: Etude morphologique et expérimentale de la différentiation du pancréas chez l'embryon de poulet. Bull. Biol. France Belg. 99, 5–112 (1965).
Drews, U., Kussäther, E., Usadel, K. H.: Cholinesterase-Aktivität bei der Frühentwicklung der Inselanlagen des Hühnerembryos. Horm. metab. Res. 1, 14–18 (1969).
Dumont, L.: Localisation histochimique des cholinestérases dans le pancréas. C. R. Soc. Biol. (Paris) 149, 736–737 (1955).
Elbadawi, A., Schenck, E. A.: Histochemical methods for separate, consecutive and simultaneous demonstration of acetylcholinesterase and norepinephrine in cryostat sections. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 15, 580–588 (1967).
Elbadawi, A., Schenck, E. A.: The peripheral adrenergic innervation apparatus. I. Intraganglionic and extraganglionic adrenergic ganglion cells. Z. Zellforsch. 87, 218–225 (1968).
Elbadawi, A., Schenck, E. A.: Intra and extraganglionic peripheral cholinergic neurons in the urogenital organs of the cat. Z. Zellforsch. 103, 26–33 (1970).
Esterhuizen, A. C., Spriggs, T. L. B., Lever, J. D.: Nature of islet-cell innervation in the cat pancreas. Diabetes 17, 33–36 (1968).
Honjin, R.: The innervation of the pancreas of the mouse, with special reference to the structure of the peripheral extension of the vegetative nervous system. J. comp. Neurol. 104, 331–361 (1956).
Karnovsky, M. J.: The localization of cholinesterase activity in rat cardiac muscle by electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 23, 217–232 (1964).
Kobayashi, S., Fujita, T.: Fine structure of mammalian and avian pancreatic islets with special reference to D cells and nervous elements. Z. Zellforsch. 100, 340–363 (1969).
Kuntz, A., Napolitano, L. M.: Autonomic neuroeffector formations. J. comp. Neurol. 104, 17–31 (1956).
Lawrentjen, J. B.: Über die Verbreitung der nervösen Elemente (einschließlich der „interstitiellen Zellen Cajal279-01) in der glatten Muskulatur, ihre Endigungsweise in den glatten Muskelzellen. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch. 6, 467–488 (1926).
Libmann, L. J., Sutherland, S. D.: An investigation into the intrinsic innervation of the pancreas. J. Anat. (Lond.) 99, 420–421 (1965).
Morgan, C. R., Lobl, R. T.: A histochemical study of neuro-insular complexes in the pancreas of the rat. Anat. Rec. 160, 231–238 (1968).
Okamura, K.: Über die Darstellung des Nervenapparates in der Magen-Darmwand mittels der Vergoldungsmethode. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch. 35, 218–253 (1934).
Pearse, A. G. E.: The cytochemistry and ultrastructure of polypeptide hormone-producing cells of the APUD series and the embryologic, physiologic and pathologic implications of the concept. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 17, 303–313 (1969).
Rogers, D. C., Burnstock, G.: The interstitial cell and its place in the concept of the autonomic ground plexus. J. comp. Neurol. 126, 255–284 (1966).
Shen, S. C., Greenfield, P., Boell, J.: The distribution of cholinesterase in the frog brain. J. comp. Neurol. 102, 717–743 (1955).
Trandaburu, T.: Comparative observations on adrenergic innervation and monoamine content in endocrine pancreas of some amphibians, reptiles and birds. Endokrinologie 59, 260–264 (1972).
Uemura, H.: Histochemical studies on the distribution of cholinesterase and alkaline phosphatase in the vertebrate neuro-secretory system. Annot. zool. jap. 38, 79–96 (1965).
Welsch, U., Pearse, A. G. E.: Electron cytochemistry of BuChE and AChE in the thyroid and parathyroid C cells, under normal and experimental conditions. Histochemie 17, 1–10 (1969).
Wyburn-Mason, R.: The reticulo-endothelial system and tumor formation (ed. H. Kympton). London: Medical Book Dept. of Hirschfeld Bros. Ltd. 1959.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by a fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung, Bonn-Bad Godesberg and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (La 229-3). The author expresses his thanks to Prof. Dr. R. H. Lange for scientific advice.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Trandaburu, T. Comparative observations on AChE distribution in pancreas of some amphibians, reptiles and birds, with special reference to the islets of langerhans. Histochemie 32, 271–279 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306034
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306034