Clinical Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1996. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 15, 1996; 2(3): 155-157
Published online Sep 15, 1996. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v2.i3.155
Quantitative ultrastructure analysis of neuroendocrine cells of gastric mucosa in normal and pathological conditions
Ji-Yao Yu, T Adda
Ji-Yao Yu, Department of Pathology, Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100037, China
T Adda, Parma University, Italy
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Ji-Yao Yu, Department of Pathology, Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100037, China
Telephone: +86-10-68581865
Received: June 20, 1996
Revised: July 1, 1996
Accepted: August 16, 1996
Published online: September 15, 1996
Abstract

AIM: To study the quantitative ultrastructure of neuroendocrine cells of the gastric mucosa in normal and pathological conditions, including the duodenal ulcer (DU) and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES).

METHODS: The neuroendocrine cells of the gastric mucosa of eight normal subjects, six patients with DU, and five patients with ZES were quantitatively investigated with by electron microscopy and ultrastructure image analysis.

RESULTS: The volume density of neuroendocrine (NE) cells in the DU was 1.3% and 0.8% (vs 1.6% and 0.9%, P < 0.05) in gastric antrum and corpus, respectively. In the antrum, G cells were 65% (P < 0.05), D cells decreased in cell density (3% vs 9.5%) and in number per unit area (P < 0.01). In the corpus, the cell density of enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells increased (49% vs 30%, P < 0.05); D cells and enterochromaffin (EC) cells decreased (2%, P < 0.01 and 4%, P < 0.05, respectively), and the number of D cells per unit area markedly decreased. In ZES, D cells in the corpus decreased in cell density (4% vs 22%, P < 0.01), and P cells also decreased (11% vs 24%, P < 0.05). The density of ECL cells increased (65% vs 30%, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: In DU and ZES, both the number and type of NE cells presented some changes. Increased gastrin in DU and ZES patients may be caused by the decrease of D cells and somatostatin secretion.

Keywords: Gastric mucosa/pathology; Neuroendocrine cells; Duodenal ulcer; Zollinger-Ellison syndrome