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Analysis of enteroendocrine cell populations in the human colon

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Abstract

Recent studies have shown that patterns of colocalisation of hormones in enteroendocrine cells are more complex than previously appreciated and that the patterns differ substantially between species. In this study, the human sigmoid colon is investigated by immunohistochemistry for the presence of gastrointestinal hormones and their colocalisation. The segments of colon were distant from the pathology that led to colectomy and appeared structurally normal. Only four hormones, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY) and somatostatin, were common in enteroendocrine cells of the human colon. Cholecystokinin, present in the colon of some species, was absent, as were glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide, ghrelin and motilin. Neurotensin cells were extremely rare. The most numerous cells were 5-HT cells, some of which also contained PYY or somatostatin and very rarely GLP-1. Almost all GLP-1 cells contained PYY. It is concluded that enteroendocrine cells of the human colon, like those of other regions and species, exhibit overlapping patterns of hormone colocalisation and that the hormones and their patterns of expression differ between human and other species.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    Patricia Martins, Josiane Fakhry, Billie Hunne, Linda J. Fothergill, Mitchell Ringuet, Brid Callaghan & John B. Furness

  2. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Patricia Martins & Débora d’Ávila Reis

  3. Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia - GO, Brazil

    Enio Chaves de Oliveira

  4. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jens F. Rehfeld

  5. Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    John B. Furness

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  1. Patricia Martins
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  2. Josiane Fakhry
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  9. Brid Callaghan
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  10. John B. Furness
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Correspondence to John B. Furness.

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Brid Callaghan and John B Furness are equal senior authors

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Martins, P., Fakhry, J., de Oliveira, E.C. et al. Analysis of enteroendocrine cell populations in the human colon. Cell Tissue Res 367, 161–168 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-016-2530-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-016-2530-7

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