Gastrin in the human fetus. Distribution and molecular forms of gastrin in the antro-pyloric gland area, duodenum and pancreas

The ontogeny of human fetal gastrin has been investigated by immunocytochemistry and radioimmunochemistry. Gastrin and gastrin cells are shown to appear later in the antral than in the duodenal mucosa. At the ages studied (11--22 weeks of gestation) pancreatic gastrin could not be detected. Gastrin component III was found to predominate in the antrum, whereas component II was quantitatively very important in the duodenum. Circumstantial evidence suggests that fetal gastrin is delivered to the blood, and that it may exert trophic functions in the fetus.