Detection of 5-Hydroxytryptamine in Mammalian Enterochromaffin Cells

Abstract

IT is certainly well known that mammalian enterochromaffin cells acquire a golden-yellow fluorescence after fixation in formalin, as stated by Drs. Shepherd, West and Erspamer¹. The views of the last author on their content of enteramine (5-hydroxytryptamine), based on his extensive researches into the enterochromaffin systems of Octopoda and Muricidæ as well as Amphibia and Vertebrata, have not been substantiated histochemically, however, and a considerable body of histochemical opinion holds alternative views. According to Cordier and Lison², the granules contained an o-diphenol with a short side-chain in the para position; Lison³ maintains this opinion. Gomori⁴ challenged this view, and concluded that a derivative of resorcinol (m-diphenol) was present. Lillie⁵, applying his new diazosafranin test, agrees entirely with Gomori.