Proliferative Response of Different Exocrine Pancreatic Cell Types to Hormonal Stimuli: II. Effects of Long-Term Secretin Administration

Abstract

The effect of graded doses of secretin on exocrine pancreatic growth and cell proliferation was studied in a long-term experiment. After 16.5 and 150μg/kg/24h of secretin, each administered as two subcutaneous injections daily for 14 days, the pancreatic wet weight decreased, whereas the protein and DN A content of the gland was uninfluenced. When administered as described above for 14 days, 16.5, 50, 150, and 450μg/kg/24 h of secretin did not affect the proliferation rate of ductal, acinar, or centroacinar cells as measured by a labeling index after 7 days of continuous ³H-thymidine administration. In the control groups a higher labeling index was found for ductal cells (19.9%) than for acinar cells (11.0%). During the 7 days of ³H-thymidine administration 80–90% of ductal and acinar cells remained in the GO phase. There was a significantly higher labeling index in interlobular than in intralobular duct cells.

Key Words:

• Acinar cells
• cell growth
• centroacinar cells
• ductal cells
• mouse
• pancreas
• secretin