Summary
Ultrastructural studies have shown the presence of two types of granulated endocrine cell in the gut of Styela clava. Type I, which occurs in the stomach and intestine contains small irregular granules, each with a distinct halo. Type II, found only in the oesophagus contains larger rounded granules, often with little or no halo. The characteristics of these two cell types are compared with those of endocrine cells found in the digestive tracts of other protochordates and discussed with special reference to the evolution of gastrointestinal endocrine cells in vertebrates.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andrew, A.: Intestinal endocrine cells of chicks around the time of hatching. Cell Tiss. Res. 172, 541–551 (1976a)
Andrew, A.: Endocrine cells of the stomach of chicks around the time of hatching. Cell Tiss. Res. 172, 553–561 (1976b)
Bevis, P.J.R., Thorndyke, M.C.: Endocrine cells in the oesophagus of the Ascidian Styela clava, a cytochemical and immunofluorescence study. Cell Tiss. Res. 187, 153–158 (1978)
Boquist, L., Falkmer, S., Mehrotra, B.K.: Ultrastructural search for homologues of pancreatic β-cells in the intestinal mucosa of the mollusc Buccinum undatum. Gen. comp. Endocr. 17, 236–239 (1971)
Burighel, P., Milanesi, C.: Fine structure of the gastric epithelium of the Ascidian Botryllus schlosseri. Mucous, endocrine and plicated cells. Cell Tiss. Res. 158, 481–496 (1975)
Capella, C., Solcia, E., Vassallo, G.: Identification of six types of endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal mucosa of the rabbit. Arch. histol. jap. 30, 479–495 (1969)
Davidson, I.K., Falkmer, S., Mehrotra, B.K., Wilson, S.: Insulin assay and light microscopical studies of digestive organs in protostomian and deuterostomian species and in coelenterates. Gen. comp. Endocr. 17, 388–401 (1971)
Erspamer, V.: Presenza di enteramina o di una sostanza enteramina simile negli estratti gastrointestinali e splenici di Pesci e negli estratti gastroenterici delle Ascidie. Experientia (Basel) 2, 369–371 (1946)
Erspamer, V., Asero, B.:Identification of enteramine, the specific hormone of the enterochromaffin cell system, as 5-hydroxytryptamine. Nature (Lond.) 169, 800 (1952)
Falkmer, S., Östberg, Y.: Production of islet hormones in invertebrates, cyclostomes and primitive gnathostomes. In: The evolution of pancreatic islets (T.A.I. Grillo, L. Liebson, A. Epple, eds.), pp. 141–152 Oxford: Pergamon Press 1976
Forssmann, W.G.: Ultrastructure of hormone-producing cells of the upper gastrointestinal tract. In: Origin, chemistry, physiology and pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal hormones (W. Creutzfeldt, ed.), pp. 31–70. Stuttgart-New York: Schattauer 1970
Fritsch, H.A.R.: The occurrence of argyrophilic and argentaffin cells in the gut of Ciona intestinalis L. Cell Tiss. Res. 175, 131–135 (1976)
Fritsch, H.A.R., Sprang, R.: On the ultrastructure of polypeptide hormone-producing cells in the gut of the Ascidian, Ciona intestinalis L. and the bivalve, Mytilus edulis L. Cell Tiss. Res. 177, 407–413 (1977)
Gerzelli, G.: Presence of enterochromaffin cells in the gut of Amphioxus. Nature (Lond.) 189, 237–238 (1961)
Gerzelli, G.: Le cellule enterochromaffini nei Tunicati. Pubbl. staz. zool. Napoli 33, 117–124 (1963)
Kataoka, K., Fujita, H.: The occurrence of endocrine cells in the intestine of the lancelet, Branchiostoma japonicum. An electron microscope study. Arch. histol. jap. 36, 401–406 (1974)
Mortensen, N.J. McC., Morris, J.F.: The effect of fixation conditions on the ultrastructural appearance of gastric cell granules in the rat gastric pyloric antrum. Cell Tiss. Res. 176, 251–263 (1977)
Östberg, Y., Noorden, S. van, Pearse, A.G.E., Thomas, N.W.: Cytochemical, immunofluorescence and ultrastructural investigations on polypeptide hormone containing cells in the intestinal mucosa of a cyclostome Myxine glutinosa. Gen. comp. Endocr. 28, 213–227 (1976)
Pearse, A.G.E.: Common cytochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of cells producing polypeptide hormones (the APUD series) and their relevance to thyroid and ultimobranchial C-cells and calcitonin Proc. roy. Soc. B 170, 71–80 (1968)
Pearse, A.G.E.: The cytochemistry and ultrastructure of polypeptide hormone producing cells of the APUD series and the embryologic physiologic and pathologic implication of the concept. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 17, 303–313 (1969)
Pearse, A.G.E.: The gut as an endocrine organ. Brit. J. Hosp. Med. 11, 697–704 (1974)
Pearse, A.G.E., Polak, J.M., Rust, F.W.D., Fontaine, J., Le Lièvre, C., Le Dourain, N.: Demonstration of the neural crest origin of type 1 (APUD) cells in the avian carotid body, using a cytochemical marker system. Histochemie 34, 191–203 (1973)
Polak, J.M., Pearse, A.G.E., Gibson, S.: Cellular endocrinology of the gut and pancreas. In: Endocrine gut and pancreas (T. Fujita, ed.), pp. 89–102. Amsterdam: Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company 1976
Solcia, E., Capello, C., Vasallo, G., Buffa, R.: Endocrine cells of the gastric mucosa. Int. Rev. Cytol. 42, 223–286 (1975)
Thorndyke, M.C.: Observations on the gastric epithelium of ascidians with special reference to Styela clava. Cell Tiss. Res. 184, 539–550 (1977)
Van Noorden, S., Pearse, A.G.E.: Immunoreactive polypeptide hormones in the pancreas and gut of the lamprey. Gen. comp. Endocr. 23, 311–324 (1974)
Van Noorden, S., Pearse, A.G.E.: The localisation of immunoreactivity to insulin, glucagon and gastrin in the gut of Amphioxus Branchiostoma, lanceolatum. In: The evolution of the pancreatic islets (T.A.I. Grillo, L. Liebson, A. Epple, eds.), pp. 163–178. Oxford: Pergamon Press 1976
Van Noorden, S., Greenberg, J., Pearse, A.G.E.: Cytochemical and immunofluorescent investigations on polypeptide hormone localisation in the pancreas and gut of the larval lamprey. Gen. comp. Endocr. 19, 192–199 (1972)
Welsh, J.H., Loveland, R.E.: 5-Hydroxytryptamine in the ascidian, Ciona intestinalis L. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 27, 719–722 (1968)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The authors are grateful to Mr. R. Jones for photographic assistance. Animals were collected by courtesy of the Admiralty Marine Trials Station, Portsmouth, This research was carried out during the tenure of S.R.C. grant no. B/RG 82919 to one of us (M.C.T.). The localization of polypeptide hormones in the pharynx and gut of protochordates
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thorndyke, M.C., Bevis, P.J.R. Endocrine cells in the gut of the ascidian Styela clava . Cell Tissue Res. 187, 159–165 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220628
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220628