Regulation of pancreatic acinar cell function

Abstract

Understanding the mechanisms that regulate pancreatic acinar cell function is contributing to our knowledge of normal pancreatic function and alterations in diseases such as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

Murine Embryonic Stem Cell–Derived Pancreatic Acinar Cells Recapitulate Features of Early Pancreatic Differentiation

“…The synthesis and secretion of digestive enzymes is finely regulated: many enzymes are synthesized as propeptides and stored in zymogen granules (ZG), the exocytosis of which is tightly controlled. Binding of secretagogues to the muscarinic 3 (M3) and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors leads to Ca 2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum and triggers ZG secretion (1).…”

Effects of Muclin (Dmbt1) deficiency on the gastrointestinal system

“…The major function of the pancreatic acinar cell is the synthesis, storage, and neurohormonal-stimulated release of digestive enzymes (61). To measure whether enzyme secretion is affected in the Muclin-deficient pancreas, release was measured from freshly isolated pancreatic acini stimulated with the cholinergic agent carbachol or with the cholecystokinin analog caerulein.…”

Assessing the Secretory Capacity of Pancreatic Acinar Cells

“…Lipophilic dyes can be instrumental for distinguishing between the narrow apical domain and the lateral and basolateral aspects of the cells (Figure 4). Under physiological stimulation, secretion is directed exclusively to the apical surface 1,9 . Use of the F-actin probe Lifeact-GFP allows live visualization of secretory vesicles, since pancreatic zymogen vesicles undergo actin coating shortly before exocytosis (Figure 4).…”

“…The functional unit of the exocrine pancreas, the acinus, is a cluster of epithelial cells which forms and shares a joint lumen. Upon hormonal or neuronal stimulation, vesicles filled with enzymes are transported to the apical cell surface, fuse with it and expel their content into the lumen [1][2][3] . The secreted enzymes are then drained by a coalescing set of ducts into the small intestine, where they catalyze the breakdown of food into nutrients.…”

“…The exocrine pancreas constitutes most of the mass of the mammalian pancreas and is dedicated to production and secretion of digestive enzymes 1 . The functional unit of the exocrine pancreas, the acinus, is a cluster of epithelial cells which forms and shares a joint lumen.…”