IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF THE DIFFERENT GASTRIN FORMS IN THE PYLORIC ANTRUM

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Localization of big gastrin, G34, and little gastrin, G17, in the pyloric antrum of mammals [pig, dog, rat, cat] including man was investigated by immunocytochemical technique. The antisera used were raised either against synthetic N-terminal fragment of h[human]G34 [hG34 (1-15)] or against synthetic hG17. The antigenic determinant of the anti-hG34(1-15) serum was shown to reside in the 1-5 sequence of hG34 and that of the anti-G17 serum in the 6-12 sequence of hG17. Immunostaining using the anti-hG34 (1-15) serum differentiated the G17 antiserum-positive cells in the antrum into 2 groups: one reactive with the anti-hG34(1-15) serum which, therefore, contains G34 or/and its N-terminal fragment immunoreactivities and the other not reactive or only very weakly reactive with the antiserum. The present result posed a question on classification of the gastrin cells and the anti-hG34(1-15) serum devoid of any antibodies against the G17 portion of G34 was suggested to be useful substrate for immunocytochemical elucidation of the prohormone-hormone relationship in the gastrin cells.