title: The exocrine pancreas in patients with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. A morphometrical and ultrastructural study.
abstract: The exocrine pancreas has been studied morphometrically and ultrastructurally in 12 patients with insulin-producing tumors in comparison with control patients free from gastrointestinal or pancreatic diseases and with normal glucose homeostasis. Light microscopical examination and morphometrical data revealed that in the insulinoma-bearing patients acinar cells undergo a marked and significant decrease in zymogen granule content, together with a slight reduction in the mean cell area. Such changes were accompanied by ultrastructural features indicating increased production and exocytosis of zymogen granules. The findings concerning centroacinar/ductular cells are consistent with an increase in their number and mean cell area, and an enhancement of their functional activity. In synthesis, both the enzyme- and bicarbonate-secreting cells appear to be greatly stimulated in conditions of chronic hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia owing to the presence of insulinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magnani
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Sacchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biliotti
mesh_terms: D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D007340:Insulinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values