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Calcitonin‐immunoreactive cells of the digestive tract of the amphioxus are distributed concentrically in a restricted region of the mid‐gut
Author(s) -
Urata M.,
Sasayama Y.,
Matada M.,
Kambegawa A.,
Suzuki N.,
Srivastav A. K.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1046/j.1463-6395.2001.00064.x
Subject(s) - caecum , biology , enteroendocrine cell , digestive tract , gastrointestinal tract , anatomy , calcitonin , endocrine system , morphology (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , endocrinology , zoology , hormone , biochemistry
In amphioxus ( Branchiostoma belcheri ), calcitonin‐immunoreactive cells of the digestive tract were distributed concentrically in a 1‐mm region of the latter half of the mid‐gut. In the mid‐gut caecum these cells were also present, but were dispersed throughout the length. The total number of cells in both parts ranged from 280 to 1157, varying from individual to individual, although the number in the mid‐gut caecum was only 100–200. These cells were morphologically typical gut endocrine cells. Considering their morphology and the characteristics of their distribution pattern, these cells may be related to some phenomena of digestive processes.