The distribution of glucagon-like peptide-+ (GLP-+)-containing endocrine cells was investigated in the chicken intestine by using imunohistochemical and morphometrical techniques. GLP-+-immunoreactive cells were mainly distributed in the whole jejunum and ileum, and rarely found in ascending duodenum, but not in other intestinal regions. These cells had pyramidal or spindle-like shape and a cytoplasmic process reaching to the intestinal lumen. In jejunum immunoreactive cells were mainly observed in the middle part of villi, and in ileum they were mainly found in the lower part of villi and crypts. The frequencies of occurrence of GLP-+-immunoreactive cells in the proximal, middle and distal jejunum were +0.03ῌ1..1, ,,.*0ῌ+*.+and -/.22ῌ+/.+1, respectively (cell numbers per mucosal area : cells/mm , , meanῌSD), and those in the proximal, middle and distal ileum were .+.-1ῌ+/.*/, /-.2.ῌ+1./1 and 1-.+,ῌ+2..0. There were significant di#erences between two adjacent regions in jejunum and ileum of small intestine. These data shows that GLP-+-immunoreactive cells are distributed more densely in the distal small intestine, and GLP-+ may play an important role in this intestinal region.

The distribution of glucagon-like peptide-+ (GLP-+)-immunoreactive cells was investigated in the intestine of the chicken and ostrich. GLP-+-immunoreactive endocrine cells were distributed only in the jejunum and ileum of both avian species. In chicken, these cells had a pyramidal or spindle-like shape with a cytoplasmic process and were observed at the lower part of villi and in intestinal crypts. In ostriches, endocrine cells immunoreactive with GLP-+ antiserum showed a flask-or spindle-like shape with a longer cytoplasmic process and were found in the middle and lower parts of intestinal villi. The cytoplasmic process reached to the intestinal lumen in both avian species. The frequencies of occurrence of GLP-+-immunoreactive cells in the jejunum and ileum were +3.1+῍2.12 and -/.2,῍+-.21, respectively (cell numbers per mucosal area : cells/mm , , mean῍SD), in the chicken, and 1.1,῍/./* and 0.1,῍-.,. in the ostrich. The di#erence in the frequency of occurrence of cells showing GLP-+ immunoreactivity was significant between jejunum and ileum in the chicken, but not in the ostrich. These findings suggest that GLP-+ might be one of the major hormones in the avian intestine. There is, however, a species di#erence in the distributional pattern of cells containing GLP-+.

The influence of restricted feeding on the distribution of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-containing endocrine cells in the chicken small intestine was investigated using immunohistochemical and morphometrical techniques. This study demonstrated that the restricted feeding had an influence on the activity of GLP-1-immunoreactive cells in the chicken small intestine. There were differences in the localization and the frequency of occurrence of GLP-1-immunoreactive cells in the small intestine between control and restricted groups, especially 25% feed supply group provided with 25% of the intake during the adapting period. GLP-1-immunoreactive cells in the control chickens were mainly located in epithelium from crypts to the lower part of intestinal villi. Those in restricted groups, however, tended to be located from crypts to the middle part of intestinal villi. The frequency of occurrence of GLP-1-immunoreactive cells was lowest in the control group, medium in 50% feed supply group and highest in 25% feed supply group at each intestinal region examined in this study, that is, increased with the advancement of restricting the amount of feed supply. These data show that the quantity of food intake is one of signals that have an influence on the secretion of GLP-1 from L cells in the chicken small intestine.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), a member of secretin/glucagon/VIP family, has a potent action on the pancreatic secretion in mammals. The present study aimed to clarify the distribution of neural elements containing PACAP or in the chicken pancreas. These two peptides were detected in the neural elements and showed the similar distributional pattern in the chicken pancreas. Intrapancreatic ganglia containing PACAPs-immunoreactive cells were found in the interlobular connective tissue. Nerve fibers showing immunoreactivity for PACAPs made the dense network around arterioles and were distributed in lamina propria of secretory ducts and the exocrine pancreas. Double labeling immunohistochemistry for PACAPs and islet hormones revealed that PACAPs-immunoreactive nerve fibers were in contact with B and D cells in B islets, but rarely distributed in A islets. These data suggest that PACAPs have relation to the regulation of the secretion from exocrine tissue and B and D cells in B islets of the chicken pancreas.: chicken, immunohistochemistry, innervation, PACAP, pancreas containing nerves in the chicken pancreas.The present study aimed to clarify the distribution of Many studies have examined the innervation of the PACAPs-containing neural elements in the chicken panmammalian pancreas (Amenta ; Luiten creas by using the double labeling immunohistochemical ; Lindskog ; De Giorgio ; technique. Hiramatsu ; Yi ). These studies described extensive autonomic innervation in the exocrine and endocrine tissue and demonstrated the existence of Adult male White Leghorn chickens weighing . . classical and peptide neurotransmitters in neurons in this kg (n ) were used in this study. They were kept in our gland. We previously showed the rich supply of autonomlaboratory under controlled light condition ( h light: ic nerves to the chicken pancreas using enzyme histoh darkness) and given a commercial diet and water chemistry and immunohistochemistry (Hiramatsu Chickens were treated in accordance with the ; Hiramatsu and Watanabe, ; Hiramatsu and "Guideline for Regulation of Animal Experimentation Ohshima, , , ). These studies revealed the ( )" of Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University. innervation of exocrine pancreas and B islets by choChickens were perfused with the mixture of linergic, peptidergic (vasoactive intestinal polypeptide: paraformaldehyde and . picric acid in . M phos-VIP, galanin) and nitrergic nerves. Pituitary adenylate phate bu er (pH . ) under the anesthesia with sodium cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropentobarbital following . sodium chloride solution. peptide of secretin/glucagon/VIP family and two molecuAnd then pancreata were dissected out, cut into small lar forms are known, PACAP and PACAP (Miyata tissue blocks with a razor blade and immersed in the same , ). Though both forms of this peptide are perfusate at for h. For a cryoprotection, tissue also found in the peripheral nervous system, we are unablocks were transferred into phosphate bu ered suware of any stud...