The Distribution of Gastrin, Somatostatin and Glucagon Immunoreactive (IR) Cells in Ostrich Stomach During the Pre- and Post-hatching Period

Summary Peptides of the gastrointestinal tract play a significant role in the digestive processes and the development of the body; therefore, it is important to have an understanding of location and distribution of gastrin, somatostatin and glucagon immunoreactive (IR) cells in the stomach mucosa of growing birds. For this purpose, 6 embryos and 37 chicks from an ostrich farm in Latvia were used. Tissue samples were collected from the proventriculus - superficial and deep glandular region and from the ventriculus - side wall and pyloric region. The number of cells was determined in 10 mucosal fields of each tissue sample. For statistical analysis, the one-way anova method was used. Gastrin IR cells regarding the stomach mucosa were found only in the pyloric region. Somatostatin IR cells were most densely located in the pyloric region too, but some cells were also discovered in the mucosa of proventriculus and ventriculus. Glucagon IR cells were found in the epithelium of the deep glands of the proventriculus and only some cells of the superficial glands of the proventriculus, and the ventriculus side wall mucosa. Gastrin and somatostatin IR cells were present in a comparatively large quantity in the ostrich chicks' ventriculus - pyloric region yet not long before hatching. They were located deep in the mucosa of pyloric glands, and their number tended to increase with birds advancing in age.