Gut neuroendocrine cells: relationship to the proliferative activity and apoptosis of mucous epitheliocytes in aging.

Objectives: Diffuse neuroendocrine system (DNES) cells regulate homeostasis via neurocrine, endocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Extensive effects of peptide hormones and biogenic amines necessitate studying of DNES cell biology in aging. In this connection, the functional morphology of gut neuroendocrine cells (NEC), proliferative activity and apoptosis of mucous epithelial cells in aging have been studied.