List of abbreviations		 Vocabulary
of micros-
copic
anatomy
specialist terms
explained in
English +
German

Every attempt was made to provide correct information and labelling, however any liability for eventual errors or incompleteness is rejected!
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Editor:
Dr. med.
H. Jastrow
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Overview Enteroendocrine Cells (Endocrinocyti gastroenteropancreatici):
Pages with explanations are linked to the text below the images if available! (Labelling is in German)
endo- and exocrine
pancreas (rat)		 endocrine pancreas 1
(monkey) 		 endocrine pancreas 2
(monkey) 		 endocrine pancreas 3
(monkey)		 endocrine pancreas 4
(monkey)		 endocrine pancreas 5
capillary x-section (monkey)		 endocrine pancreas 6 capillary
longitudinal section (monkey)
endocrine and exocrine
pancreas (monkey)		 2 enteroendocrine
cells, stomach (monkey) 		 endocrine cell
stomach (rat)		 enteroendocrine cell 2
 (monkey)		 idem stomach 3
 (monkey)		 stomach: entero-
chromaffine cell (pig)		 2 enteroendocrine cells of
the colon (rat)		 detail thereof:
EEC (rat)
The gastrointestinal, i.e. located in the stomach and gut, hormone secreting cells (Terminologia histologica: Endocrinocyti gastroenteropancreatici, Endocrinocyti GEP) which are also called enteroendocrine cells, gastroenteropancreatic cells or GEP endocrine cells are present in more basal portions of the mucosa, i.e. the base of glands of the stomach or inferior portion of crypts of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon. These endocrine cells secrete hormons which leave the cells at their basal parts by exocytosis and thus are released into the loose connective tissue of the lamina propria. Here they diffuse into capillaries, venols and small lymph vessels and thus finally reach the blood (endocrine effect). Furtermore the hormones also have local effects on neighbouring cells (paracrine effects). Usually the hormones are stored in small more or less electron-dense vesicles which are located below the nucleus and may only be seen at highest magnifications in light microscopy.
Endocrine cells of the pancreas are only seen in the pancreatic islets which are the endocrine component of pancreas also called islets of Langerhans (Terminologia histologica: Pars endocrina pancreatis, Insula pancreatica). In contrast to the exocrine cells these endocrine islets are less intensively stained in conventional staining procedures and they are very rich in capillaries. The majority of cells in the islets of Langerhans are the B-cells followed by glucagon secreting A-cells. Further cell types (D, EC, G, PP, PYY and Ghrelin-cells) are listed in the table below.
To make a reliable distinction of the different kinds of endocrine cells specific immunostaining procedures are required since conventional light- or electron microscopy does not show clear morphological differences for differential diagnosis.
The following table summarises the different enteroendocrine cells sorted by location and name:
English name(s)
Terminologia histologica		 secreted hormone
(synonymes)		 effect(s) further information
(molecular weight in Dalton)
Pancreas
A - Cell, alpha-cell, glucagon cell
Endocrinocytus A, Glucagonocytus		 Glucagon raises blood glucose level, increases glycogenolysis
in the liver, raises gluconeogenesis and fatty acid oxidation
in the liver, enhances storage of fatty acids in form of triglycerids		 protein of 29 amino acids,
molecular weight: 3,483
B - Cell, beta-cell, insulin cell
Endocrinocytus B, Insulinonocytus		 Insulin anabol: decreases blood glucose level, increases number of GLUT-
transporters in cell membranes of heart- and skeletal muscle cells
as well as fat cells which raises their permeability for glucose, 
enhances synthesis of glycogen in the liver, reduces gluconeogenesis		 protein of 51 amino acids,
molecular weight: ~ 6,000,
5 min. half-life time, binds to
membrane receptor with
tyrosinkinase activity
D - Cell, delta-cell, somatostatin cell
Endocrinocytus D, Somatostatinocytus		 Somatostatin GH-IH = Growth Hormone inhibiting hormone,
antagonist of GH-RH (Growth Hormone releasing hormone),
inhibits A-cells & exocrine pancreas in paracrine manner,
also inhibits B-cells in higher concentration		 2 active forms:
1.) somatostatin-14
protein of 14 amino acids,
2.) somatostatin-28
protein of 28 amino acids
VIP - Cell, delta1-cell, D1-cell
Endocrinocytus D1		 VIP = vasoactive
intestinal polypeptide		 decreases contraction of smooth muscle cells of vessels
--> widening of vessel lumen = vasodilatation		 protein of 28 amino acids,
molecular weight: 3,328
EC - Cell, enterochromaffin cell
Endocrinocytus EC		 Serotonin
= 5 Hydroxytryptamine
= Enteramine		 stimulation of smooth muscle cells
1. of vessels --> reduction of lumen = vasoconstriction,
2. of the gut --> stimulation of motility of the gut		 mol. mass: 176,22 g/mol
summary formula:
C10H12N2O
PP - Cell, pancreatic polypeptide cell
Endocrinocytus PP		 pancreatic
polypeptide		 enhances satiety protein of 36 amino acids
PYY - Cell, peptide YY cell
Endocrinocytus PYY		 peptide YY
= peptide tyrosin-tyrosin		 blood level increases after food intake, inhibits appetite
inhibits motility and emptying of the stomach,
stimulates resorbtion of water and salt in the colon		 protein of 36 amino acids
Ghrelin - secreting Cell
Endocrinocytus secretans grehlinum		 Ghrelin blood level increases when getting hungry,
stimulates secretion of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the brain, highly
increased in Prader-Willi-syndrome --> missing of satiety		 protein of 28 amino acids,
molecular weight: 3,240
pancreatic G - Cell, pancreatic gastrin cell
Endocrinocytus G pancreaticus		 Gastrin stimulates secretion in stomach, especially of HCl,
activates motoric activity of the Antrum pyloricum,
prolongs emptying of the stomach		 protein of 17 amino acids,
molecular weight: 2,117
stomach
G - Cell, gastrin cell
Endocrinocytus G		 Gastrin stimulates secretion in stomach, especially of HCl,
activates motoric activity of the Antrum pyloricum,
prolongs emptying of the stomach		 protein of 17 amino acids,
molecular weight: 2,117
D - Cell, delta-cell, somatostatin cell
Endocrinocytus D, Somatostatinocytus		 Somatostatin decreases production of enzymes in exocrine pancreas,
inhibits Gastrin and Pepsin,
GH-IH = Growth Hormone inhibiting hormone,
antagonist of GH-RH (Growth Hormone releasing hormone)		 2 active forms:
1.) somatostatin-14
protein of 14 amino acids,
2.) somatostatin-28
protein of 28 amino acids
EC - Cell, enterochromaffin cell
Endocrinocytus EC		 Serotonin
= 5 Hydroxytryptamin
= Enteramin		 stimulation of smooth muscle cells
1. of vessels --> reduction of lumen = vasoconstriction,
2. of the gut --> stimulation of motility of the gut		 mol. mass: 176,22 g/mol
summary formula:
C10H12N2O
ECL - Cell, enterochromaffin-like cell, histamine cell
Endocrinocytus ECL		 Histamine decreases contraction of smooth muscle cells of vessels
--> widening of vessel lumen = vasodilatation,
stimulates H2 receptors of parietal cells in the stomach
--> increase of production of HCl		 mol. mass: 111,15 g/mol
summary formula:
C5H9N3
NO - Cell, brush cell, tuft cell
Epitheliocytus penicillatus		 Nitrogenmonoxide
= NO		 decreases contraction of smooth muscle cells of vessels
--> widening of vessel lumen = vasodilatation		 no typical enteroendocrine cell
gut: Duodenum, Jejunum, Ileum, Caecum, Colon
A - Cell, alpha-cell, glucagon cell
Endocrinocytus A, Glucagonocytus		 Glucagon raises blood glucose level, increases glycogenolysis
in the liver, raises gluconeogenesis and fatty acid oxidation
in the liver, enhances storage of fatty acids in form of triglycerids		 protein of 29 amino acids,
molecular weight: 3,483
B - cell, beta-cell, insulin cell
Endocrinocytus B, Insulinonocytus		 Insulin anabol: decreases blood glucose level, increases number of GLUT-
transporters in cell membranes of heart- and skeletal muscle cells
as well as fat cells which raises their permeability for glucose, 
enhances synthesis of glycogen in the liver, reduces gluconeogenesis		 protein of 51 amino acids,
molecular weight: ~ 6,000,
5 min. half-life time, binds to
membrane receptor with
tyrosinkinase activity
D - Cell, delta-cell, somatostatin cell
Endocrinocytus D, Somatostatinocytus		 Somatostatin GH-IH = Growth Hormone inhibiting hormone,
antagonist of GH-RH (Growth Hormone releasing hormone)		 2 active forms:
1.) somatostatin-14
protein of 14 amino acids,
2.) somatostatin-28
protein of 28 amino acids
EC - Cell, enterochromaffin cell
Endocrinocytus EC		 Serotonin stimulation of smooth muscle cells
1. of vessels --> reduction of lumen = vasoconstriction,
2. of the gut --> stimulation of motility of the gut 		 mol. mass: 176,22 g/mol
summary formula:
C10H12N2O
ECL - Cell, enterochromaffin-like cell, histamine cell
Endocrinocytus ECL		 Histamine decreases contraction of smooth muscle cells of vessels
--> widening of vessel lumen = vasodilatation,
stimulates H2 receptors of parietal cells in the stomach
--> increase of production of HCl		 mol. mass: 111,15 g/mol
summary formula:
C5H9N3
G - Cell, gastrin cell
Endocrinocytus G		 Gastrin stimulates secretion in stomach, especially of HCl,
activates motoric activity of the Antrum pyloricum,
prolongs emptying of the stomach		 protein of 17 amino acids,
molecular weight: 2,117
I - Cell, cholescystokinin cell, CCK cell
Endocrinocytus I		 Cholescystokinin stimulation of smooth muscle cells in the wall of the gall bladder and decreases
contraction of the Musculus sphincter oddi --> emptying of the gall bladder,
increases emzyme production of the exocrine pancreas		 protein of 8, 22, 33 or 58
amino acids
K - endocrinocyte, glucose dependent insulin release peptide cell, GIP cell
Endocrinocytus K		 gastrointestinal
polypeptide = GIP		 stimulates glucose-dependent release of insulin protein of 42 amino acids,
molecular weight: 4,980
L - Cell, glucagon like peptide 1 cell, GLP1 cell
Endocrinocytus L		 glucagon like peptide 1
= GLP 1		 stimulates release of insulin & inhibits glucagon release in endocrine pancreas,
probably inhibits HCl production in the stomach, slows gastric emptying,
increases satiety		 protein of 37 amino acids,
molecular weight: 3,356,
active forms: GLP1 (7-37)
and GLP1 (7-36)NH2
PP - Cell, pancreatic polypeptide cell
Endocrinocytus PP		 pancreatic
polypeptide		 increases satiety protein of 36 amino acids
PYY - cell, peptide YY cell
Endocrinocytus PYY		 peptide YY
= peptide Tyrosin-Tyrosin		 raises after food intake, inhibits motility and emptying of the stomach,
reduces appetite, increases water and salt retention in the colon		 protein of 36 amino acids
S - cell, secretin cell
Endocrinocytus S		 Secretin stimulates secretion of water and HCO3- in exocrine pancreas,
of  Brunner's glands in the duodenum & of small glands of bile ducts,
increases production of mucin in surface mucous cells of the stomach,
stimulates release of insulin and somatostatin		 protein of 27 amino acids,
molecular weight: 3,055
Ghrelin - secreting cell
Endocrinocytus secretans ghrelinum		 Ghrelin blood level increases when getting hungry,
stimulates secretion of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the brain, highly
increased in Prader-Willi-syndrome --> missing of satiety		 protein of 28 amino acids,
molecular weight: 3,240
NO - cell, brush cell, tuft cell
Epitheliocytus penicillatus		 Nitrogenmonoxide
= NO		 decreases contraction of smooth muscle cells of vessels
--> widening of vessel lumen = vasodilatation		 no typical enteroendocrine cell
--> stomach, jejunum. ileum, colon, pancreas, glands
--> Electron microscopic atlas Overview
--> Homepage of the workshop
Most images were kindly provided by Prof. H. Wartenberg; other images, page & copyright H. Jastrow.