Ontogenetic development of neuropeptide Y-like-immunoreactive cells in the gastroenteropancreatic endocrine system of the dogfish.

This immunocytochemical study was carried out to elucidate the ontogenetic development of neuropeptide Y-like-immunoreactive cells in the gastroenteropancreatic endocrine system of the cloudy dogfish, Scyliorhinus torazame. Immunostained cells first appeared in the pancreas of the embryo at the 15-mm stage, and were also detected in the vitello-intestinal duct of the yolk stalk at the 20-mm stage. These cells were polymorphic, with occasional processes that were sometimes directed toward the vascular wall or into the cavity of the vitello-intestinal duct. At the 34-mm stage, immunostained cells could also be found in the proximal part of the spiral intestine and, by the 74-mm stage, immunopositive cells were present in the gastric mucosa. In the gut and pancreas, the cells gradually increased in number with development, whereas in the vitello-intestinal duct and internal yolk sac, they decreased and seemed to disappear following hatching. Thus, in juveniles, the distribution of the neuropeptide Y-like-immunoreactive cells in the gastroenteropancreatic endocrine system had attained that of adults. Electron-microscopic immunocytochemistry demonstrated that, in the labeled cells of the vitellointestinal duct, the neuropeptide Y-like antigen was located in cytoplasmic granules, as in the cells of the gut and pancreas.