Immunocytochemical evidence for differential distribution of gastrin forms using region-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Immunocytochemical identification of cellular origins of different forms of gastrin in canine and human antral mucosa has been carried out using region specific monoclonal antibodies. Three types of gastrin cells were identified. The first type of cell was stained with both the C-terminal specific antibody of G17 and the N-terminal specific antibody of G17. The second type of cell was stained only with the C-terminal specific antibody of G17 but not with the N-terminal specific antibody of G17. The third type of cell was stained only with the N-terminal specific antibody of G17. From these findings we propose that the first type of cell contains gastrins with the amidated C-terminus of G17 such as component 1, G34, G17, or G14 as well as the free N-terminus of G17 such as G17, or C-terminal extended gastrins, the second type of cell contains gastrins only with the C-terminus of G17 but not with the N-terminus of G17 such as G34, or component 1, and the third type of cell contains C-terminal extended gastrins with intact N-terminus G17.