Ageing and endocrine cells of human duodenum.

Motility and secretory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and associated glands increase with ageing. The duodenum contains several peptide/amine producing cells that play an important role in regulating gastrointestinal motility and secretion. The present study was performed to elucidate changes in these cells that may have arisen as a result of ageing. A total of four age groups of subjects, aged 1-2, 20-29, 40-49 and 60-69 years were studied. The various endocrine cell types were identified by immunohistochemistry and quantified by computerized image analysis, and two parameters were determined; the number of cells/mm3 epithelial cells and the cell secretory index (CSI), which indicates the immunoreactive secretory granule content of the endocrine cells. Chromogranin A- and serotonin-immunoreactive (IR) cells were fewer in 1-2-year-olds than in 20-29-year-olds. Gastrin/CCK-IR cells were significantly more numerous in 1-2-year-olds and 60-69 years-olds than in 20-29-year-olds. Somatostatin-IR cells were more numerous in the 40-49-year-olds than in the 20-29 years-olds. The CSI was higher in chromogranin A-, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP)-, somatostatin- and gastrin/CCK-IR cells in 1-2-year-olds than in 20-29-year-olds. There was no significant sex difference regarding the numbers and CSI of other endocrine cell types. This study established the absence of sex-related differences in all endocrine cell types investigated, regarding numbers and physiological activity. Age, on the other hand, was shown to be associated with changes in the numbers of CCK-, somatostatin- and serotonin-IR, which may have some bearing on the gastrointestinal disorders of the elderly.