Immunocytochemical identification of cells containing insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide in the islets of Langerhans of the guinea pig pancreas with light and electron microscopy.

Abstract

Cell types containing insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide were identified in guinea pig islets with light and electron microscopic immunoperoxidase staining. Cells containing immunostainable insulin (B cells) are located throughout the islets, including the islet periphery, and contain irregularly shaped granules (350-550 nm). Granule contents are of variable opacity and are often fragmented but not crystalloid. Cells containing immunoreactive glucagon (A cells) are found in the interior of islets and contain numerous spheroid electron-opaque granules (250-350 nm). Cells containing immunoreactive somatostatin (D cells) have elongate, axonlike processes that end adjacent to islet capillaries. D cells, which are very numerous and distributed uniformly throughout the islet parenchyma, contain small spheroid granules (150-25 nm) of pale electron opacity. Cells with immunoreactive pancreatic polypeptide (F cells) are rare in islets but numerous among the exocrine parenchyma. F cells contain pale spheroid granules (100-200 nm). Morphological criteria are reliable indicators for A cells and B cells, but D cells and F cells require immunostaining for positive identification.