Is Glucagon Present in the Human Gastric Fundus?

Abstract

The presence of pancreatic type glucagon in the fetal and adult human gastric fundus was examined by radioimmunoassay and by an indirect immunofluorescence technique using specific antiserum against pancreatic glucagon. Although pancreatic type glucagon-containing cell (glucagon-positive cell) were demonstrated in the fetal gastric fundus in 16th, 18th, 23rd and 29th week's gestation, they were not detected in the adult gastric fundus. This immunohistochemical finding was supported by radioimmunoassay study for glucagon in gastric fundus in which there was 52 pg/mg of glucagon in the fetal gastric fundus at 20th week's gestation while glucagon was negligible in the adult gastric fundus. The findings, therefore, suggest that glucagon-positive cells in the human gastric fundus may play an important role in the maintenance of fetal life. Moreover, one fourth of glucagon-positive cells in the fetal gastric fundus reached the gut lumen with their cytoplasmic processes. In view of the finding that none of the canine glucagon-positive cells in the gastric fundus had contact with the gut lumen, the morphological feature of glucagon-positive cells in the human, fetal gastric fundus suggests that the function of glucagon-positive cells in the human, fetal gastric fundus may be somewhat different from that in other mammals.