Ontogeny, postnatal development and ageing of endocrine pancreas in Bubalus bubalis

The ontogenesis, postnatal development and ageing of the endocrine pancreas in mammals have not been extensively studied. In order to improve understanding of this organ, we studied the buffalo pancreas during fetal and postnatal development. Glucagon, insulin and somatostatin immunoreactive cells (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of anatomy 1998-04, Vol.192 (3), p.417-424
Main Authors: LUCINI, C., CASTALDO, L., LAI, O., DE VICO, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Animals
Buffalo
Buffaloes - embryology
Buffaloes - growth & development
Buffaloes - metabolism
Gestational Age
glucagon
Glucagon - analysis
Immunohistochemistry
insulin
Insulin - analysis
Islets of Langerhans - chemistry
Islets of Langerhans - embryology
Islets of Langerhans - growth & development
Morphogenesis
pancreatic polypeptide
Pancreatic Polypeptide - analysis
somatostatin
Somatostatin - analysis
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Summary:The ontogenesis, postnatal development and ageing of the endocrine pancreas in mammals have not been extensively studied. In order to improve understanding of this organ, we studied the buffalo pancreas during fetal and postnatal development. Glucagon, insulin and somatostatin immunoreactive cells (i.c.) were first seen in 2-mo-old embryos. Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) i.c. were observed during the 3rd month of gestation. The early embryo pancreas was almost totally composed of endocrine tissue. The endocrine portion only slightly increased in mass with animal growth, whereas the exocrine portion noticeably increased in mass during the late fetal and postnatal periods. In adults, therefore, the exocrine portion was more evident than the endocrine portion. Three types of islet were observed in fetal and young buffalos: small, large and PP-islets. The small islets were composed of insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and PP i.c. The large islets were primarily composed of insulin i.c. and a few glucagon, somatostatin and PP i.c. The PP islets were mostly composed of PP i.c. with a few somatostatin, insulin and glucagon i.c. The number of large islets greatly diminished by adulthood. Glucagon, insulin, somatostatin and PP i.c. were also seen scattered in the exocrine parenchyma and along the duct epithelium. In the duct epithelium, these cells were either single or grouped, and they sometimes formed a protrusion projecting towards the connective tissue. These morphological features were primarily observed in fetuses and young buffalos.
ISSN:0002-9106
0021-8782
1553-0795
1469-7580
DOI:10.1046/j.1469-7580.1998.19230417.x