Demonstration of glucagon in the stomach of human fetuses

Electron microscopy using antiglucagon or antiglicentin antisera and the protein A-gold (pAg) technique revealed a population of immunoreactive cells in the gastric mucosa of human fetuses. The secretory granules of these cells showed the same ultrastructural characteristics and the same labeling pattern as pancreatic alpha-granules. These data demonstrate that the stomach of human fetuses contains cells with secretory granules indistinguishable by morphologic and immunocytochemical criteria from the pancreatic A-cells.