The Argentaffin and Argyrophil Cells of the Gastro Intestinal and Urogenital Tracts

• Main Author: Kazzaz, B A
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-1963
• Subjects: Cellular biology; Developmental biology; Histology
• ISBN: 9781392718339; 1392718333

1. A historical review of argentaffin (AH) cells and argyrophil (AL) cells is presented. The association of AH and AL cells with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxytryptophan (3-HTP) is mentioned, and carcinoid tumours with the carcinoid syndrome are discussed briefly.2. Difficulties encountered in staining AH and AL cells are described and an attempt was made to find a method for staining AL cells granules which would be more consistent and more reliable than the classical Bodian Protargol method, which is not always a satisfactory method for staining AL cells. Hence an attempt was made to modify Holmes method, which was originally devised for staining nerve fibres. This method seemed to be more reliable than the Bodian protargol method for staining AL cells, both in human and animal.tissues and in carcinoid tumours. Two bronchial carcinoid tumours proved to be AL negative using the Bodian protargol method, were AL positive using the modified Holmes method. 3. Many workers have suggested that the AH cells are innervated, but none of them had given strong evidence. Attempt was made to find a staining method which could impregnate both the fine terminal twigs of the autonomic nerve plexuses in the intestinal wall of the guinea pig, and the AH cells. Some of these methods, viz. the modified Holmes and, to a lesser extent, the Bodian protargol, could impregnate nerve fibres selectively in other tissues like skeletal muscles, but failed to impregnate the autonomic plexuses in the intestinal wall selectively. Hence it was impossible to demonstrate connection between AN cells and nerve fibres in the guinea pig intestine. 4. The embryonic development of AN and AL cells and their relative rate of increase in embryonic and post embryonic lives in the gastrointestinal tract of the guinea pig has been investigated.