An immunohistochemical analysis of the ontogeny, distribution and coexistence of 12 regulatory peptides and serotonin in endocrine cells and nerve fibers of the digestive tract of the turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (Teleostei).

The ontogeny of endocrine cells and nerve fibers containing immunoreactivities for 12 regulatory peptides and serotonin was studied in the digestive tract of a flatfish, the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), using antisera specific for mammalian and teleostean hormones. Transient insulin-immunoreactive (-IR) endocrine cells were detected from day 5 to day 10 in stomach and intestine I. Somatostatin (SOM)-IR cells appeared at day 8 in the stomach anlage and intestine I. In contrast to the islet cells, they reacted with antisera against mammalian (m) SOM-14 and salmon (s) SOM-25. Infrequent nerve fibers reacting only with anti-mSOM-14 appeared around day 24. Thus, different forms of SOM seem to be present in the gastro-entero-pancreatic system and the enteric nervous system. Neuropeptide Y (NPY)-, salmon pancreatic polypeptide (sPP)- and mPP-immunoreactivities coexisted throughout development. In entero-endocrine cells, NPY/PP-immunoreactivity was first observed at day 8 and around day 24 in enteric nerve fibers. Glucagon (GLUC)-IR entero-endocrine cells appeared at day 5. No coexistence of NPY/PP- and GLUC-immunoreactivities was observed. The first insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I)-IR cells were identified around day 8. They seemed to contain none of the other peptides. Their number and distribution exhibited great interindividual differences. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-IR entero-endocrine cells appeared as late as around day 24. The first VIP-IR nerve fibers, however, were identified at day 5. Infrequent neurotensin (NT)-IR cells appeared along the intestine around day 10 and NT-IR nerve fibers at day 17. The first serotonin (SER)-IR cells were observed in the stomach anlage around day 10 and SER-IR nerve fibers at day 15 throughout the gastro-intestinal tract. Gastrin (GAS)/cholecystokinin (CCK)-IR cells appeared around day 11 in stomach and intestine I. The first substance P (SP)-IR enteric nerve fibers were detected around day 8 and SP-IR endocrine cells at day 11. Pancreastatin (PST)-IR cells were identified in the stomach anlage and intestine I around day 8 and contained NT-, GAS/CCK- and SER-immunoreactivities in coexistence. Thus, several developmental phases can be distinguished: (1) at the onset of exogenous feeding only transient INS-IR cells and VIP-IR nerve fibers are present; (2) a differentiated entero-endocrine system establishes during the early phase of exogenous feeding; (3) before the final differentiation of stomach and gut GAS/CCK-IR cell appear; (4) after metamorphosis most of the different types of regulatory peptide-containing nerve fibers develop, probably setting up the fine regulation of gastro-intestinal blood flow and motility.