Ontogeny of Somatostatin Cells in the Rat Fetal Pancreas.

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The growth pattern of somatostatin cells was clarified immunohistochemically from day 12 to day 18 of gestation in the rat fetus. On day 12, somatostatin cells first appeared within the pancreatic anlage. The total number of somatostatin cells was gradually increased from day 12 to day 16 and rapidly increased thereafter. It may be concluded that such a sequence of events of development in somatostatin cells occurs in a fashion similar to that in B cells. -KEY WORDS: pancreatic islet, rat fetus, somatostatin cell.