Gastric argyrophil (enterochromaffin-like), gastrin, and somatostatin cells after proximal selective vagotomy in man.

The number, size, and volume density of endocrine cells was determined in biopsies obtained endoscopically in patients after proximal selective vagotomy (PSV; N = 31), antrectomy (N = 9), untreated duodenal ulcer (DU) disease (N = 11), and in controls (N = 15). Serum gastrin was significantly elevated after PSV (mean 60 pg/ml) compared to DU patients (29 pg/ml), controls (26 pg/ml), and after antrectomy (11 pg/ml). Volume density of fundic argyrophil (largely enterochromaffin-like) cells after PSV (0.74%) and in DU disease (0.63%) were significantly (P < 0.001) higher when compared with controls (0.37%) but lower after antrectomy (0.24%; P < 0.02). The density of argyrophil cells was not influenced by the interval following PSV or the magnitude of hypergastrinemia. Antral gastrin cells were increased after vagotomy, whereas the antral and fundic somatostatin cell numbers were reduced after PSV. It is concluded that: (1) a major role of the vagal nerve as a trophic factor for enterochromaffin-like cells could not be demonstrated after PSV, and (2) moderate hypergastrinemia after PSV did not induce proliferation of ECL cells.