Morphological and Immunohistochemical Study on the Distribution of Endocrine Cells in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Partridge, Alectoris chukar

This study investigates the distribution and relative frequencies of the endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract of the partridge (Alectoris chukar). These cells which secrete coloestokinin (CCK), motilin, ghrelin, gastrointestinal polypetide (GIP) and vasointestinal polypeptide (VIP) in gastrointestinal tract were examined by using immunohistochemistry. CCK-IR, motilin-IR, ghrelin-IR, GIP-IR and VIP-IR cells were found to be more densely populated than other immunostained endocrine cells in the proventriculus and ventriculus sections. The distribution of CCK-IR, ghrelin-IR, and VIP-IR endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract of the red legged partridge was of an uncommon pattern. Our findings show that CCK-IR, motilin-IR, ghrelin-IR, GIP-IR and VIP-IR cells might be produced by all the proventriculus, ventriculus, duodenum, jejenum and ileum regions. These distribution patterns also provide further evidence of species-specific differences.