The avian proventriculus is an abundant source of endocrine cells with bombesin-like immunoreactivity.

Radioimmunoassays using specific bombesin antisera revealed high concentrations of immunoreactivity in the turkey proventriculus, and negligible amounts of activity elsewhere in the gut. In immunohistochemical studies the same antisera revealed abundant endocrine-like cells in proventriculus mucosa, and isolated cells in small intestinal mucosa. In contrast to the rat, immunoreactivity was not demonstrated in nerves.