Enteroendocrine cell

Intestinal enteroendocrine cells

Intestinal enteroendocrine cells are not clustered together but spread as single cells throughout the intestinal tract.

Hormones secreted include somatostatin, motilin, cholecystokinin, neurotensin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and enteroglucagon. The enteroendocrine cells sense the metabolites from intestinal commensal microbiota and, in turn, coordinate antibacterial, mechanical, and metabolic branches of the host intestinal innate immune response to the commensal microbiota.

K cell

K cells secrete gastric inhibitory peptide, an incretin, which also promotes triglyceride storage. K cells are mostly found in the duodenum.

L cell

L cells secrete glucagon-like peptide-1, an incretin, peptide YY_3-36, oxyntomodulin and glucagon-like peptide-2. L cells are primarily found in the ileum and large intestine (colon), but some are also found in the duodenum and jejunum.

I cell

I cells secrete cholecystokinin (CCK), and have the highest mucosal density in the duodenum with a decreasing amount throughout the small intestine. They modulate bile secretion, exocrine pancreas secretion, and satiety.

G cell

Stomach enteroendocrine cells, which release gastrin, and stimulate gastric acid secretion.

Enterochromaffin cell

Enterochromaffin cells are enteroendocrine and neuroendocrine cells with a close similarity to adrenomedullary chromaffin cells secreting serotonin.

Enterochromaffin-like cell

Enterochromaffin-like cells or ECL cells are a type of neuroendocrine cell secreting histamine.

N cell

Located in a increasing manner throughout the small intestine, with the highest levels found in the in ileum, N cells release neurotensin, and control smooth muscle contraction.

S cell

S cells secrete secretin mostly from the duodenum, but also in decreasing amounts throughout the rest of the small intestine, and stimulate exocrine pancreatic secretion.

D cell

Also called Delta cells, D cells secrete somatostatin.

Mo cell (or M cell)

• found in crypts of the small intestine, especially in the duodenum and jejunum.
• Different from the Microfold cells (M cells) that are in Peyer's patches.
• Secrete motilin