The distribution and frequency of occurrence of endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract of the Philippine carabao (Bubalus bubalis) were studied by immunohistochemistry. Fourteen types of immunoreactive (IR) endocrine cells were revealed. Among the cell types, only chromogranin, serotonin, and bovine pancreatic polypeptide (BPP) were present in the entire gut, while the others showed restricted distribution: somatostatin, gastrin, and cholecystokinin in the abomasum and small intestine; methionine-enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8, motilin, neurotensin, secretin, gastric inhibitory peptide, and substance P in the small intestine; peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) in the large intestine; and glucagon in the whole intestinal tract. Most of the cell types showed peak density in the pyloric, duodenal, or rectal region. The highest cell type heterogeneity was observed in the duodenum. The distribution profile of the gut endocrine cells in the carabao is closely related to that in the Holstein cattle. Important findings include the occurrence of BPP-IR cells in the entire gut and the high frequency of PYY-IR cells in the large intestine.

Pancreata of fetal, neonatal and adult cattle were studied immunohistochemically for galanin. The results revealed galanin-like immunoreactivity both in the endocrine cells and in the neural elements. The galaninlike immunoreactive endocrine cells (Gal-LIEC) were confined to the large islets, and were not observed in the islets of Langerhans and exocrine pancreas. They were first detected at the third prenatal month. Their developmental profile showed an increase from fetal to early neonatal stage with a subsequent decrease towards adulthood. The considerable number of Gal-LIEC from late prepartum to early postpartum stage may imply functional significance of galanin during the perinatal development of cattle. Coexistence of galanin and insulin was also observed which may suggest autocrine interaction between the 2 hormones.

The occurrence and density of distribution of nerves and endocrine cells that are immunoreactive for neuropeptides in the bovine pancreas were studied by immunohistochemistry. The six neuropeptides localized were galanin (GAL), substance P (SP), methionine-enkephalin (MENK), neuropeptide Y (NPY), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). The exocrine pancreas was shown to have an appreciable number of GAL- and SP-immunoreactive nerve fibres but few fibres showing immunoreactivity for VIP and CGRP. Numerous MENK-, GAL-, SP-, and NPY-immunoreactive nerve fibres were seen in the endocrine portion of the pancreas. Nerve cell bodies in the intrapancreatic ganglia showed immunoreactivity for all of the neuropeptides except CGRP. Endocrine cells showing immunoreactivity for GAL and SP were observed in the large islets and islets of Langerhans, respectively. The present results indicate a characteristic distribution of neuropeptides in the bovine pancreas, which may regulate both exocrine and endocrine secretions of pancreas.

ABSTRACT. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), a mammalian homologue of amphibian bombesin, has been suggested to be a novel regulatory peptide in the reproductive tract during pregnancy. In this study, the localization of GRP in the bovine uterus and placenta was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. Uterine and placental samples were collected from nonpregnant and pregnant specimens, respectively. Tissue sampling was done from the caruncle and intercaruncle of the uterus, and from the placentome (caruncle and cotyledon) and intercotyledon of the placenta. In all the tissues examined, GRP was detected although its immunoreactivity was observed at various degrees. In the uterus, moderate immunoreactivity for GRP was observed in the uterine gland epithelial cells. In the placenta, strong immunoreactivity for GRP was demonstrated in the uterine gland epithelial cells; moderate in superficial epithelial cells; and weak in the trophoblasts, trophoblastic giant cells and cryptal epithelial hybrid cells. In both nonpregnant and pregnant animals, GRP was immunolocalized in the uterine gland secretions and was found predominantly in the supranuclear region of the uterine gland epithelial cells. These findings may suggest that GRP is secreted into the uterine lumen and regulates the intrauterine environment of both the nonpregnant and pregnant bovine by exocrine, autocrine and/or paracrine manner.

The muscularis mucosae and condensed fibrous layer of the ruminant forestomach were studied by immunohistochemistry using specific antibodies against alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) and gamma-smooth muscle actin (gammaSMA). The specimens were collected from the rumen, reticulum and omasum of cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goat, Barbary sheep, Japanese serow, sika deer and mouse deer. The muscularis mucosae showed immunoreactivity for both alphaSMA and gammaSMA. On the other hand, the condensed fibrous layer appearing between the propria mucosa and tela submucosa was immunoreactive only for alphaSMA except for that in the goat and Barbary sheep reticulum which is intermingled with gammaSMA immunoreactivity. The distribution of muscularis mucosae and/or condensed fibrous layer varied among the compartments of forestomach and ruminant species. In the rumen, only the condensed fibrous layer was detected. On the other hand, the omasum contained only the muscularis mucosae. In the reticulum, both were detected. The amount of the condensed fibrous layer in the reticulum varied among different species in the following order of abundance: goat > Barbary sheep > sika deer> sheep > water buffalo > cattle and Japanese serow. Smooth muscle cells of external muscle layer were immunoreactive for alphaSMA and gammaSMA whereas those of blood vessels and pericytes were immunoreactive only for alphaSMA. The present findings on the actin immunoreactivity and distribution profile of muscularis mucosae and the condensed fibrous layer provide additional knowledge to further understand the histophysiological specialization of the different compartments of the ruminant forestomach.