Different secretory responses of periinsular and other acini in the rat pancreas after pilocarpine injection

Histological, histochemical, and electron microscopical investigations of the rat pancreas, one to five hours after pilocarpine injection (4 mg in 1 ml normal saline solution), showed different secretory responses in periinsular and apoinsular acinar cells. The responsiveness to parasympathetic stimulation is markedly retarded and weakened in the periinsular area. It is supposed that the halo phenomenon is related not only to an inhibition of the secretion, but also to a longer lasting synthesis of zymogen granules. The insular hormones, glucagon and insulin, which are possibly locally enriched by insulo-acinar capillary anastomoses or by diffusion, may be involved in the regulation of activity in the periinsular cells.     

Chimeric mice reveal clonal development of pancreatic acini, but not islets

Intestinal crypt stem cells establish clonal descendants. To determine whether the pancreas is patterned by a similar process, we used embryonic stem (ES) cell chimeric mice, in which male ES cells were injected into female blastocysts. Fluorescence in situ hybridization for the Y chromosome (Y-FISH) revealed clonal patterning of ES-derived cells in the adult mouse small intestine and pancreas. Intestinal crypts were entirely male or entirely female. Villi contained columns of male or female epithelial cells, consistent with upward migration of cells from the crypts which surround them. Within the exocrine pancreas, acini were entirely male or entirely female, consistent with patterning from a single stem/progenitor cell. Pancreatic islets contained a mixture of male and female cells, consistent with patterning from multiple progenitors. Male-female chimeric mice demonstrate that the adult mouse exocrine pancreatic acinus is patterned from a single stem/progenitor cell, while the endocrine pancreas arises from multiple progenitors.     

Localization of radioactively labelled serotonin in the nucleus of adrenal medulla cells

After treatment of rats with 3H-5-hydroxytryptophan, grains indicating the presence of serotonin could be demonstrated in the adrenal medulla. In the beginning, the label is mainly found in the cytoplasm, later, more and more it appears in the nucleus, primarily above the heterochromatin.     

Dopamine-stimulated cyclic AMP and binding of [H]dopamine in acini from dog pancreas

Dispersed acini from dog pancreas were used to examine the ability of dopamine to increase cyclic AMP cellular content and the binding of [³H]dopamine. Cyclic AMP accumulation caused by dopamine was detected at 1·10⁻⁸ M and was half-maximal at 7.9±3.4·10⁻⁷M. The increase at 1·10⁻⁵ M, (7.5-fold) was equal to the half-maximal increase caused by secretin at 1·10⁻⁹ M. Haloperidol, a dopaminergic receptor antagonist inhibited cyclic AMP accumulation caused by dopamine. The IC₅₀ value for haloperidol, calculated from the inhibition of cyclic AMP increase caused by 1·10⁻⁵ M dopamine was 2.3±0.9·10⁻⁶M. Haloperidol did not alter basal or secretin-stimulated cyclic AMP content. [³H]Dopamine binding was studied on the same batch of cells as cyclic AMP accumulation. At 37°C, it was rapid, reversible, saturable and stereospecific. The K_d value for high affinity binding sites was 0.43±0.1·10⁻⁷M and 4.7±1.6·10⁻⁷M for low affinity binding sites. The concentration of drugs necessary to inhibit specific binding of dopamine by 50% was 1.2±0.4·10^/t-7M noradrenaline, 2·10^/t-7 M epinine, 4.1±1.8·10^/t-6M fluphenazine, 8.0±1.6·10^/t-6M haloperidol, 4.2±1.2·10⁻⁶Mcis-flupenthixol, 2.7±0.4·10⁻⁵Mtrans-flupenthixol, >1·10⁻⁵M apomorphine, sulpiride, naloxone and isoproterenol.     

Dopamine-stimulated cyclic AMP and binding of [3H] dopamine in acini from dog pancreas

Dispersed acini from dog pancreas were used to examine the ability of dopamine to increase cyclic AMP cellular content and the binding of [3H] dopamine. Cyclic AMP accumulation caused by dopamine was detected at 1.10(-8) M and was half-maximal at 7.9 +/- 3.4 10(-7) M. The increase at 1.10(-5) M, (7.5-fold) was equal to the half-maximal increase caused by secretin at 1.10(-9) M. Haloperidol, a dopaminergic receptor antagonist inhibited cyclic AMP accumulation caused by dopamine. The IC50 value for haloperidol, calculated from the inhibition of cyclic AMP increase caused by 1.10(-5) M dopamine was 2.3 +/- 0.9.10(-6) M. Haloperidol did not alter basal or secretin-stimulated cyclic AMP content. [3H] Dopamine binding was studied on the same batch of cells as cyclic AMP accumulation. At 37 degrees C, it was rapid, reversible, saturable and stereospecific. The Kd value for high affinity binding sites was 0.43 +/- 0.1.10(-7) M and 4.7 +/- 1.6.10(-7) M for low affinity binding sites. The concentration of drugs necessary to inhibit specific binding of dopamine by 50% was 1.2 +/- 0.4.10(-7) M epinine, 4.1 +/- 1.8.10(-6) M fluphenazine, 8.0 +/- 1.6.10(-6) M haloperidol, 4.2 +/- 1.2.10(-6) M cis-flupenthixol, 2.7 +/- 4.0.10(-5) M trans-flupenthixol, less than 1.10(-5) M apomorphine, sulpiride, naloxone and isoproterenol.     

Age and changes in the proportions of cells in the pancreatic islets of the human pancreas

Morphometric investigations of the pancreas have been performed in 74 persons died from different disease at the age from birth up to 85 years. In sections impregnated after Grimelius the amount of argyrophil glucagon-producing A-cells has been counted, as well as in non-impregnated sections--insulin-producing B-cells. Total mass of the islets in the pancreas have been calculated, with a special reference to A- and B-cells and their quantitative relationships. There is not any significant differences of these parameters in men and women. At the same time, a regular increase in A-cells with age is noted, which together with a slight decrease in B-cells results in certain changes in ratio between A- and B-cells. With age, these changes produce a decreased tolerance to glucose, and predominance of A-cells over B-cells results in diabetes mellitus. This is proved when the results of the morphometric investigations are compared with those of intravital studies on glucose contents in blood.     

Morphometric studies of pancreas islets of rats after subphrenic vagotomy]

Analysis of the morphometric data showed that 7 days after vagotomy significant changes ocurred in the pancreatic islets, mainly as a result of variation in B cells. At later periods (45 and 90 days after surgery) normalization of some morphofunctional parameters is noted, however, absolute restoration is not achieved.     

Blood vessels of the pancreatic islets in different portions of the adult human pancreas]

The pancreatic islets and their blood vessels have been studied in the head, the body and the tail of the human pancreas. The following methods have been applied: injection, histological and quantitative estimation, graphic and plastic reconstruction. A rather great variability in the form of the pancreatic islets has been stated, with presence of one--two peculiar processes in large islets. In different parts of the pancreatic gland, relative volume of the endocrine parenchyma has been stated to be statistically greater (2.16 +/- 0.45%) in the caudal portion than in the head of the gland (1.31 +/- 0.26%). In every pancreatic islet an afferent arterial vessel is described, two types of its branching are determined: magistral and scattered. Relative volume of the pancreatic islets and morpho-functional coefficient reflecting the ratio of the capillary surface area to the volume of the islet capillaries in different parts of the pancreatic gland have been estimated.     

Localization of human pancreatic polypeptide in an argyrophilic fourth cell type in islets of the rat pancreas.

An argyrophilic fourth cell type in the rat pancreatic islet can be differentiated from other silver-staining cells by using a modification of the Grimelius aqueous silver nitrate technique. Restaining of the tissues using fluorescent techniques with anti-HPP (Human Pancreatic Polypeptide) serum results in bright fluorescence in the fourth cell type.     

Characteristics of insulin and glucagon release from the perfused pancreas, intact isolated islets, and dispersed islet cells

There are a variety of different tissue preparations which have been used to study secretion from the endocrine pancreas and there are considerable differences in the results obtained from these. The purpose of this study was to compare several preparations in one laboratory using the same rats, buffers, and radioimmunoassays. The preparations included the isolated perfused rat pancreas, fresh isolated intact islets and dispersed cells, and cultured islets and cells. Insulin release from the perfused rat pancreas at 2.8 mM glucose was so low that it could not be measured, such that over a 90-min time period the amount of insulin released was less than 0.004% of pancreatic insulin content. In contrast, islets in static incubation appear to release 2.0% of their stored content and dispersed cells appear to release 2.6% of their content. Samples were taken at early time points during incubations of fresh islets and dispersed cells, and it was found that almost all of the insulin found at the end of a 90-min incubation period was present during the first 5 min. It is therefore suspected that the true secretory rate of insulin at a low glucose concentration is far lower than had been generally appreciated. Glucagon release patterns showed similarities in that with isolated islets and dispersed cells a disproportionate amount of glucagon release was found during a 0- to 30-min incubation period when compared with the 30- to 90-min period. In summary, artifacts have been identified in some of the in vitro systems used for the study of endocrine pancreatic secretion and these deserve greater recognition.     

Proliferation of the exocrine and endocrine portions of the pancreas after its resection]

A weak regenerative capacity of the pancreas was revealed after the resection of about 40 per cent of the tissue of this organ in mice-hybrids CBA X C57BL/6, weighing 20--28 g. During the 21 days of the experiment there was no significant restoration of the pancreas weight. An increase of the proliferative activity (the number of mitoses and daily fraction of the thymidine-3H-labeled cells were counted) was brief and failed to spread over the whole organ. The maximal number of the labeled nuclei in the epithelium of the acini and the islets was found in the area near the wound where the organ tissue was somewhat edematous. In the areas near the wound surface, but unaffected, the labeled cells count was increased during the early post-operative period only. The number of labeled cells of the islets and acini of the pancreas in the areas distant from the wound (in the loop of the duodenum) was no different from the control. The number of labeled cells in the islets was greater than in the acini.     

Dopamine-stimulated cyclic AMP and binding of [3H]dopamine in acini from dog pancreas

Dispersed acini from dog pancreas were used to examine the ability of dopamine to increase cyclic AMP cellular content and the binding of [³H]dopamine. Cyclic AMP accumulation caused by dopamine was detected at 1·10^?8 M and was half-maximal at $\text{7.9±3.4·10}{}^{\mathrm{?7}}\text{M}$. The increase at 1·10^?5 M, (7.5-fold) was equal to the half-maximal increase caused by secretin at 1·10^?9 M. Haloperidol, a dopaminergic receptor antagonist inhibited cyclic AMP accumulation caused by dopamine. The IC₅₀ value for haloperidol, calculated from the inhibition of cyclic AMP increase caused by 1·10^?5 M dopamine was $\text{2.3±0.9·10}{}^{\mathrm{?6}}\text{M}$. Haloperidol did not alter basal or secretin-stimulated cyclic AMP content. [³H]Dopamine binding was studied on the same batch of cells as cyclic AMP accumulation. At 37°C, it was rapid, reversible, saturable and stereospecific. The $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}$ value for high affinity binding sites was $\text{0.43±0.1·10}{}^{\mathrm{?7}}\text{M}$ and $\text{4.7±1.6·10}{}^{\mathrm{?7}}\text{M}$ for low affinity binding sites. The concentration of drugs necessary to inhibit specific binding of dopamine by 50% was $\text{1.2±0.4·10}{}^{\mathrm{/t-7}}\text{M}$ noradrenaline, 2·10^/t-7 M epinine, $\text{4.1±1.8·10}{}^{\mathrm{/t-6}}\text{M}$ fluphenazine, $\text{8.0±1.6·10}{}^{\mathrm{/t-6}}\text{M}$ haloperidol, $\text{4.2±1.2·10}{}^{\mathrm{?6}}\text{M}$cis-flupenthixol, $\text{2.7±0.4·10}{}^{\mathrm{?5}}\text{M}$trans-flupenthixol, $\text{>1·10}{}^{\mathrm{?5}}\text{M}$ apomorphine, sulpiride, naloxone and isoproterenol.     

Alterations in marginal zone macrophages and marginal zone B cells in old mice

Marginal zones (MZs) are architecturally organized for clearance of and rapid response against blood-borne Ags entering the spleen. MZ macrophages (MZMs) and MZ B cells are particularly important in host defense against T-independent pathogens and may be crucial for the prevention of diseases, such as streptococcal pneumonia, that are devastating in older patients. Our objective was to determine whether there are changes in the cellular components of the MZ between old and young mice. Using immunocytochemistry and a blinded scoring system, we observed gross architectural changes in the MZs of old mice, including reduction in the abundance of MZMs surrounding the MZ sinus as well as disruptions in positioning of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 (MAdCAM-1)(+) sinus lining cells and metallophilic macrophages. Loss of frequency of MZMs was corroborated by flow cytometry. A majority of old mice also showed reduced frequency of MZ B cells, which correlated with decreased abundance of MZM in individual old mice. The spleens of old mice showed less deposition of intravenously injected dextran particles within the MZ, likely because of the decreased frequency in MZMs, because SIGN-R1 expression was not reduced on MZM from old mice. The phagocytic ability of individual MZMs was examined using Staphylococcus aureus bioparticles, and no differences in phagocytosis were found between macrophages from young or old spleens. In summary, an anatomical breakdown of the MZ occurs in advanced age, and a reduction in frequency of MZM may affect the ability of the MZM compartment to clear blood-borne Ags and mount proper T-independent immune responses.