title: Spontaneous alterations in the pancreas of the aging Syrian golden hamster.
abstract: The systematic histologic examination of the pancreas of aging Syrian golden hamsters revealed distinct alterations that affected the exocrine, endocrine, and supporting tissues. Some of these lesions showed a significant relationship to age and/or sex of the animal. Specific alterations that affected the ductules and islets represented a characteristic, probably genetically linked, process of the hamster pancreas and may have been the decisive factors for the unique carcinogenic response of this species to specific carcinogens.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010181:Pancreatic Cyst / Q000473:pathology; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D012737:Sex Factors