Gastrin and enteroglucagon cells in human antra, with special reference to intestinal metaplasia

In a consecutive material consisting of 24 stomachs resected due to adenocarcinoma, intestinal metaplasia occurred in 21. Gastrin-producing cells (G-cells) were found to be distributed in a sporadic manner in antra with intestinal metaplasia. Not a single G-cell could be demonstrated in areas with metaplasia, while in the nonmetaplastic areas the distribution of the G-cells corresponded to that of the middle part of the mucosa. This means, that an error can occur when determining the quantity of G-cells, and can explain the previous controversial results regarding the density of G-cells. Enteroglucagon containing cells (GLI-cells) on the contrary were demonstrated in areas with intestinal metaplasia in antra of 19 of the stomachs showing intestinal metaplasia but never in the nonmetaplastic mucosa. This indicated that metaplasia also includes the endocrine cells. The identification of the G-cells and the GLI-cells was carried out by means of indirect immunoperoxidase technique combined with alcian blue pH 2,6-PAS staining.