Immunohistochemical colocalization of serotonin, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase and polypeptide hormones in islet A- and PP-cells of the cat pancreas.

To establish which monoamines are elaborated in the pancreatic islet cells of cats, the pancreatic tissue was studied by immunohistochemistry on serial or mirror tissue sections. Glucagon-containing A-cells reacted immunohistochemically with antisera directed against serotonin and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, though the half of A-cells immunostained with glucagon antiserum did not show the colocalization with serotonin. Pancreatic polypeptide-containing PP-cells also showed immunoreactivity for antisera directed against serotonin and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase. However, PP-cells exhibiting immunoreactivity for serotonin were very few in number. The overlapping areas of the two types of cell represented only a small proportion of the PP-cells. Immunoreactivity for aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase was observed within almost all A- and PP-cells. Since aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase is an enzyme involved in the synthesis of serotonin, it is concluded that pancreatic islet A- and PP-cells in cats have the ability to elaborate serotonin. Contrarily, islet B- and D-cells showing immunoreactivity for insulin and somatostatin antisera, respectively, did not react with antisera directed against serotonin and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase.