Characteristic features of ghrelin cells in the gastrointestinal tract and the regulation of stomach ghrelin expression and production

Figure 3 In vitro effects of estrogen and leptin on ghrelin mRNA expression and distributions of aromatase mRNA-expressing, leptin-ip and ghrelin-ip cells in the gastric mucosa[23,27]. A: Changes in ghrelin mRNA expression after estrogen treatment; B: Aromatase mRNA-expressing cells were found in the glandular body of the fundic gland; C: Ghrelin-ip cells were found sporadically throughout the gastric mucosa; D: Changes in ghrelin mRNA expression after leptin treatment. Ghrelin mRNA level is expressed relative to β-actin mRNA level; E: Leptin-ip cells (arrow) were found in the lower half of the fundic gland; F: Ghrelin-ip cells (arrowhead) were found in the gastric mucosa. (A, D) Data are presented as mean ± SE. n = 3-4/group. ^aP < 0.05; ^bP < 0.01. Bar = 100 μm (B, C) and 20 μm (E, F) respectively. MU: Mucosa; SL: Smooth muscle layer.