18 research outputs found
The effects of long-term low-protein intake on gastrin cells of the rat antral mucosa during adulthood
The effect of experimental protein malnutrition
on gastrin producing cells in the antral part of
the stomach was studied in male Wistar rats.
Isoenergetic diets containing 25% (C-25) or 6% (PD-6)
were given in isocaloric amounts during a 4-month
experiment. All rats were offered drinking water ad
libitum. The results showed that the long-term protein
diet did not produce changes in the gastrin cell number.
At the ultrastructural level G cells exhibited a decreased
size of the nucleus. They were found to have an
increased total granule volume density but the volume
density of dense-cored granules was lower. The serum
gastrin levels were significantly lowered by feeding the
low protein diet. These changes are compatible with
decreased functional activity of G cells under long-term
protein deprivation