Postnatal morphogenesis of the endocrine part of pancreas of nutria (Myocastor coypus)

The morphological characteristics of the endocrine pancreas of nutria in female and male nutria at the age of 1 day, 2 months, 4.5 months, 7.5 months and 12 months have a number of sex and age characteristics and differences. The number of islets in pancreatic lobules at 1 day of age in males is 3–6, and in females – 2–3. At 2 months of age, their number in males decreases to 2–4, and in females it increases to 5–6. From 4.5 months of age, the number of islands in females and males ranges from 2 to 3. At 1 day and 2 months of age, in nutria, islet division is recorded due to the cleavage and formation of new cell groups. The area of endocrine islets in females and males of nutria changes in a wave-like manner with age, having minimum values in 1-day and 4.5 months of age, and the maximum at 12 months of age. The nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio of endocrine islet insulocytes in nutria increases from 1 day to 2 months of life to their maximum values, and in subsequent age periods decrease and by the age of 12 months reaches its minimum.

In Vitro Disease Models of the Endocrine Pancreas

The ethical constraints and shortcomings of animal models, combined with the demand to study disease pathogenesis under controlled conditions, are giving rise to a new field at the interface of tissue engineering and pathophysiology, which focuses on the development of in vitro models of disease. In vitro models are defined as synthetic experimental systems that contain living human cells and mimic tissue- and organ-level physiology in vitro by taking advantage of recent advances in tissue engineering and microfabrication. This review provides an overview of in vitro models and focuses specifically on in vitro disease models of the endocrine pancreas and diabetes. First, we briefly review the anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of the human pancreas, with an emphasis on islets of Langerhans and beta cell dysfunction. We then discuss different types of in vitro models and fundamental elements that should be considered when developing an in vitro disease model. Finally, we review the current state and breakthroughs in the field of pancreatic in vitro models and conclude with some challenges that need to be addressed in the future development of in vitro models.

Mechanisms of Post-Pancreatitis Diabetes Mellitus and Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes: A Review of Preclinical Studies

Anatomical proximity and functional correlations between the exocrine and endocrine pancreas warrant reciprocal effects between the two parts. Inflammatory diseases of the exocrine pancreas, such as acute or chronic pancreatitis, or the presence of cystic fibrosis disrupt endocrine function, resulting in diabetes of the exocrine pancreas. Although novel mechanisms are being increasingly identified, the intra- and intercellular pathways regulating exocrine–endocrine interactions are still not fully understood, making the development of new and more effective therapies difficult. Therefore, this review sought to accumulate current knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of diabetes in acute and chronic pancreatitis, as well as cystic fibrosis.

Sexually dimorphic changes in the pancreas and skeletal muscle in young adulthood following intra-amniotic IGF-I treatment of growth-restricted fetal sheep

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with decreased insulin secretory capacity and decreased insulin sensitivity in muscle in adulthood. We investigated whether intra-amniotic IGF-I treatment in late gestation mitigated the adverse effects of FGR on the endocrine pancreas and skeletal muscle at 18-months of age. Singleton-bearing ewes underwent uterine artery embolization between 103-107 days' gestational age, followed by five once-weekly intra-amniotic injections of 360 µg IGF-I (FGRI) or saline (FGRS), and were compared to an un-manipulated control group (CON). We measured offspring pancreatic endocrine cell mass and pancreatic and skeletal muscle mRNA expression at 18-months of age (n=7-9/sex/group). Total α-cell mass was increased ~225% in FGRI males vs. CON and FGRS males, while β-cell mass was not different between groups of either sex. Pancreatic mitochondria-related mRNA expression was increased in FGRS females vs. CON (NRF1, MTATP6, UCP2), and FGRS males vs. CON (TFAM, NRF1, UCP2), but was largely unchanged in FGRI males vs. CON. In skeletal muscle, mitochondria-related mRNA expression was decreased in FGRS females vs. CON (PPARGC1A, TFAM, NRF1, UCP2, MTATP6), FGRS males vs. CON (NRF1 and UCP2), and FGRI females vs. CON (TFAM and UCP2), with only MTATP6 expression decreased in FGRI males vs. CON. Although the window during which IGF-I treatment was delivered was limited to the final five weeks of gestation, IGF-I therapy of FGR altered the endocrine pancreas and skeletal muscle in a sex-specific manner in young adulthood.

Pathomorphology of cat pancreas under chronic pancreatitis

The paper deals with studying the pathomorphology of cat pancreas under chronic pancreatitis. This paper is a component of a research mix of the Department of Anatomy and Histology, it goes under the title “The development, morphology and histo-chemistry of animal organs in health and in disease”, (state registration number № 0120U100796). A pancreas is an azygos parenchymatous organ which refers to the endoexocrine glands, includes exocrine and endocrine pancreas, is involved in the processes of digestion and regulation of carbohydrate metabolism, protein metabolism and lipid exchange in tissues. Pancreatic juice, which is rich in enzymes (trypsin, lipase, amylase), is produced in an exocrine pancreas, and hormones (insulin, somatostatin, glucagon (vasoactive intestinal polypeptide), pancreatic polypeptide) are produced in endocrine pancreas. This galand is involved in the process of digestion while producing digestive enzymes, which get into the duodenum and hydrolyze practically all parts of feeds which enter the body. It is located in an abdominal cavity, anatomically connected with a stomach, liver and duedenum. It has been found that pathomorphological changes in pancreas under chronic pancreatits manifest themselves depending on the disease stage and are revealed by insignificant progress of the pathological process. Herewith, morphological parameters of pancreas width and length in cats under chronical pancreatitis did not significantly change, but these indices tended to decrease. Its absolute weight in cats under chronical pancreatitis, as compared with clinically healthy cats, did not change and equalled 9.12 ± 2.03 g. But pancreas relative weight in sick cats increased by 1.4 (Р ≤ 0.01) and equalled 0.51 ± 0.08 %, as compared with control 0.38 ± 0.06 %. Under histological analysis of pancreas histology specimen stained with hematoxylin Corazzi and eosin, some distortion in a microscopic structure of a pancreas was observed, it manifested itself in thickening of interparticle tissue-connective layers which spread like desmogenous bands. Some destructive changes in acini in exocrinal pancreas, which manifested themselves in losing their characteristic form, were noticed. The cytoplasm of such acinous cells was in a state of plasmorrhexis, the pycnosis was observed.