Staining and Electron Microscopic Characteristics of Amine-storing Cells in Rat’s Gastric Mucosa

Abstract

Hirvonen, J. & Penttilä, A. 1970. Staining and Electron Microscopic Characteristics of Amine-storing Cells in Rat’s Gastric Mucosa. Scand. J. Gastroent, 5, 177-185.

In the neck region there were numerous interstitial cells which exhibited both formaldehyde- (5-HT) and OPT-induced (histamine) fluorescence. By subsequent staining of the fluorescent cells it was observed that they were mucosal mast cells (MMC). However the principal storers of histamine in the rat gastric mucosa were large intraglandular cells at the bottom of the gastric glands. By electron microscopy, the MMC with roundish, unevenly osmiophilic large cytoplasmic granules were observed to be located in the interglandular space, often beside a capillary, and they were sometimes in intimate contact with glandular cells and nerve axons. The MMC granules varied in size and had a membrane. Furthermore, enterochromaffin cells (EC) studded with highly osmiophilic uniform granules were found within the glandules.

Key-words:

• Electron microscopy
• enterochromaffin cell
• fluorescence microscopy
• mast cell
• monoamines