Enterochromaffin cell

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Serotonin

Enterochromaffin (EC) cells (Kulchitsky cells) are a type of enteroendocrine cell1 occurring in the epithelia lining the lumen of the digestive tract.

Contents

Function

They produce and contain about 90% of the body's store of serotonin (5-HT).

In the gastrointestinal tract, 5-HT is important in response to chemical, mechanical or pathological stimuli in the lumen. It activates both secretory and peristaltic reflexes, and activates vagal afferents (via 5-HT3 receptors) that signal to the brain (important in the generation of nausea).

Ondansetron is an antagonist of the 5-HT3 receptor and is an effective anti-emetic.

Etymology

They are called "entero"2 meaning related to the gut and "chromaffin" because of a chromium salt reaction that they share with chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla (adrenal glands). 3

"Enterochromaffin-like cells"

Another population of chromaffin cells is found only in the stomach wall, called enterochromaffin-like cells (ECL). They look like EC cells but do not contain 5-HT.

ECL cells respond to acetylcholine released by the vagus nerve and they in turn release histamine, which will stimulate the parietal cells to produce gastric acid.

Pathophysiology

Kulchitsky cells, or neuroendocrine cells, have been implicated in the origin of small cell lung cancer. 4

See also

References

  1. ^ MeSH Enterochromaffin+Cells
  2. ^ Entero- definition - Medical Dictionary definitions of popular medical terms easily defined on MedTerms
  3. ^ 1516961798 at GPnotebook
  4. ^ eMedicine - Lung Cancer, Small Cell : Article by Abid Irshad
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Digestive system, physiology: gastrointestinal physiology
Enteric nervous system
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  • This page was last modified on 11 December 2008, at 13:47.

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