Study on mucous and gastrin cells of digestive tract in Qinglong grouper (Epinephelus coioides♀E.lanceolatus♂) juveniles

We studied the distribution of mucous and gastrin cells of digestive tract in Qinglong grouper (Epinephelus coioides ♀ E.lanceolatus ♂) juveniles by histochemistry (AB-PAS) and immunohistochemistry (SABC). Mucous cells in esophagus of juvenile were of TypeⅠ, TypeⅡ, TypeⅢ and TypeⅣ containing neutral and acidic mucoitin; mucous cells of TypeⅠ, TypeⅡ and Type Ⅲ were found in cardiac stomach; mucous cells of TypeⅠ, Type Ⅲ and Type Ⅳ were found in fundic stomach. Many mucous cells of TypeⅠ, and Type Ⅳ could be found around gastric gland, and only mucous cells of TypeⅠcontaining neutral mucointin was found in pyloric stomach. Pyloric caeca and intestines contained neutral and acidic mucointin. Mucous cells in the pyloric caeca were mostly ofType Ⅱ but less Type Ⅲ. Four types of mucous cells could all be observed in foregut, midgut and hindgut.Thedescendingorder of number of intestinal mucous cells was midguthindgutforegut. Moreover, the studyon the distribution of gastrin cells in the digestive tract by immunohistochemistry indicates that the gastrin cells were found in entire intestine and pyloric caeca but not inesophagus and stomach.