The duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum and colon of three male hybrid piglets, 4 weeks old just after weaning, were investigated for the immunohistochemical localization of the asialoganglioside, GM1 (asialo-GM1). The study revealed various degrees of labelling for this acid glycosphingolipid in neural, epithelial and blood elements in all the gut segments. The immunolabelled neural structures, represented by ganglionic perikarya and nerve fibers, were distributed throughout the intestinal wall and showed quantitative variations in the various regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) system of four reptilian species: turtle (Emys orbicularis), lizards (Lacerta viridis and Lacerta agilis) and snake (Natrix natrix) has been investigated immunohistochemically for the presence and topographic distribution of synaptophysin. Among the studied reptiles, only in turtles were neural, glial and neuroendocrine elements labelled for this marker protein. Semi-quantitative evaluation of the immunolabelled neural structures distributed throughout the gastroenteric wall revealed, with two exceptions, highly significant mean differences between the successive gut segments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe diffuse chromaffin enteropancreatic system of nine species of amphibians (newts, frogs) and reptiles (turtles, lizards, snakes) was investigated immunohistochemically for the presence and topographic distribution of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT). The study revealed various numbers of serotonin-producing cells in the pancreas and intestinal epithelium and also immunolabelled nerve profiles in the villi of all species studied. In addition, two different morphological populations of serotonin cells ("open" and "closed") were localized in the functional segments of the intestines in the representative species of all the taxa investigated.
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