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Morphologies and distributions of 5-HT containing enteroendocrine cells in the mouse large intestine

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Abstract

Serotonin (5-HT)-containing gastrointestinal endocrine cells contribute to regulation of numerous bodily functions, but whether these functions are related to differences in cell shape is not known. The current study identified morphologies and localization of subtypes of 5-HT-containing enteroendocrine cells in the mouse large intestine. 5-HT cells were most frequent in the proximal colon compared with cecum and distal colon. The large intestine harbored both open (O) cells, with apical processes that reached the lumen, and closed (C) cells, not contacting the lumen, classified into O1, O2, and O3 and C1, C2, and C3 cells, by the lengths of their basal processes. O1 and C1 cells, with basal processes sometimes longer that 100 µm, were most common in the distal colon. Their long basal processes ran against the inner surfaces of the mucosal epithelial cells and were strongly immunoreactive for 5-HT; these processes are ideally placed to communicate with the epithelium and to react to mechanical forces. O2 and C2 cells that had similar but shorter basal processes were also most common in the distal colon. O3 and C3 cells had no or very short basal processes. The O3 open type 5-HT cells were abundant in the proximal colon, particularly at the luminal surface, where they could release 5-HT into the lumen to act on luminal 5-HT receptors. Numerous O3 type 5-HT cells occurred in the lower (submucosal) region of the crypts in all segments and might release 5-HT to influence cell renewal in the crypt proliferative zones.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan

    Hirofumi Kuramoto & Ryoichi Yoshimura

  2. Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Ada Koo, Linda J. Fothergill, Billie Hunne & John B. Furness

  3. Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Linda J. Fothergill & John B. Furness

  4. Division of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology, Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan

    Makoto Kadowaki

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  1. Hirofumi Kuramoto
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  2. Ada Koo
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Correspondence to John B. Furness.

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Procedures were approved by the University of Melbourne Animal Ethics Committee (ethics approval numbers 1613817 and 1814569) and the Kyoto Institute of Technology (approval number 100154). All applicable National and Institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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Kuramoto, H., Koo, A., Fothergill, L.J. et al. Morphologies and distributions of 5-HT containing enteroendocrine cells in the mouse large intestine. Cell Tissue Res 384, 275–286 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-020-03322-6

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