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Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann logoLink to Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann
. 1992 Dec;83(12):1262–1266. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1992.tb02756.x

Immunohistochemical Localization of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Protein in Pancreas Islet A‐Cells of Man and Rats

Hiroyuki Tsuda 1, Teruhiko Iwase 1, Kazuyuki Matsumoto 1, Mitsuya Ito 1, Iwao Hirono 1, Yoshihisa Nishida 2, Masami Yamamoto 3, Masae Tatematsu 3, Kunio Matsumoto 4, Toshikazu Nakamura 4
PMCID: PMC5918732  PMID: 1362429

Abstract

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a potent mitogen for adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture, has previously been shown to be primarily expressed in the nonparenchymal cells of the liver. Using polyclonal antisera against human and rat HGFs we studied the tissue distribution of HGF immunohistochemically and found the most intense staining in the pancreas islet cells in both man (autopsy cases) and the rat. Differential localization of 4 pancreas islet hormones, glucagon, insulin, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide, revealed HGF to be preferentially expressed within the glucagon‐positive cells. The results indicate that HGF is primarily produced or stored in A‐cells and may act as a growth factor in a paracrine and an endocrine fashion, like various other hormones.

Keywords: Hepatocyte growth factor, Pancreas islet A‐cell, Immunohistochemistry

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