Appraisal of endocrine function of segmental autotransplanted pancreas in dogs

Abstract

Abstract. There is increasing interest in pancreatic transplantation for patients with diabetes. In experimental models, endocrine function is usually monitored by determination of insulin and glucose levels in plasma. In this study following a segmental pancreatic autotransplant to the iliac fossa in dogs, a combined analysis of three pancreatic islet hormones, insulin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and glucagon was undertaken by radioimmunoassay of plasma. These were measured under basal conditions and following provocation with a standard meal, arginine, secretin and bombesin infusions. Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic examination of transplanted tissue was also performed. Circulating insulin and glucose levels in the surviving dogs with transplants reflected normoglycaemia with a normal tolerance to iv glucose and immunohistochemical detection of endocrine cells producing insulin, PP and glucagon. Secretory granules were found in A and B cells by electron microscopy. The normal circulating glucagon immunoreactivity could have originated in gastric antral A cells as well as in pancreatic tissue. It was not possible, however, to stimulate the autotransplanted pancreas to release detectable PP into the circulation.

Use of Nd:YAG laser in pancreatic resections with duodenal preservation in the dog

“…Metabolic studies such as fasting glucose levels, intravenous glucose tolerance tests, plasma amino acid levels, and plasma and urinary amylase levels were not reported in this text [7].…”

Deterioration of Islet β-Cell Function After Hemipancreatectomy in Dogs

“…Studies in which the dorsal lobe was retained for up to 2 mo suggested that animals may remain euglycemic but with decreased K g after >60% pancreatectomy in some cases (15)(16)(17)(18)(19). From the above results it may be concluded that the critical mass threshold for islet number had not been reached immediately after hemipancreatectomy (13,14).…”

“…Few studies have considered the long-term consequences, 1-2 yr, of partial pancreatectomy (10)(11)(12). Many dog studies with no tendency toward the development of diabetes from partial pancreatectomy based their conclusions on postsurgical followup of 1 wk to several months (10)(11)(12)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20). These therefore have little relevance to the long-term consequence of hemipancreatectomy in humans or to the question of exhaustion stress on p-cell survival (14,21,22), despite previous suggestions that development of diabetes from a compromised p-cell mass may be a.function of time and the number of surviving fully functional pcells (13)(14)(15)(16).…”