The enteroendocrine cells during the normal development of the rat and in some human digestive diseases

The enteroendocrine cells were studied in rats from one day to two years of age. A gradual increase in the number of argentaffin granules and cell volumes paralleling the ageing was observed. The volumes of argentaffin cells in rats reached a maximum at 9 months and decreased towards two years. The argentaffin cells of the intestine are significantly larger than the gastric ones. No significant correlation was found between argentaffin granules number and cell volumes and the gastric or duodenal ulcers. A slight hyperplasia of enteroendocrine cells around the gastric ulcers was noticed.