IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF 3 KINDS OF PEPTIDE HORMONES IIN ENDOCRINE CELLS OF THE GUT OF SILVER CARP, BIGHEAD, SILVER CRUCIAN CARP AND BLUNT-SNOUT BREAM

Using immunohistochemical staining technique of avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) method, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), 5-hy-droxytryptamine(5-HT) and endorphine(END) antisera raised against mammalian hormones were employed to investigate the distribution of endocrine cells in the intestinal mucosa of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), bighead (Aristichthys nobilis), silver crucian carp (Carassius gibelio) and blunt-snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala).GIP-immunoreactive endocrine cells were found in the intestinal mucosa of the 4 species of fishes. But immunoreactive endocrine cells of 5-HT and END were not found.GIP-immunoreactive endocrine cells are distributed mostly in the anterior segment of the foregut, and located mostly in the apical parts of the gut folds and dispersed between the epithelial cells and goblet cells. Most of GIP-immunoreactive endocrine cells were long shuttle shaped. The distributive laws of GIP-immunoreactive endocrine cells in the intestinum of fishes were compared with of different feeding habits other animals. The immunostaining results are discussed in relation to the use of 5-HT and END antisera.