title: Pancreatic structure and function in the immature reserpinized rat.
abstract: Immature rats were reserpinized to determine whether the model used for adults may be suitable for the study of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency seen in infants with cystic fibrosis. Rats were reserpinized by injections either into pregnant dams or into newborn rats. The dose of reserpine used by others was lethal to immature rats, so lower doses were used. Pancreas from 1-day-old fetal-treated pups was hypoplastic, but concentration of chymotrypsinogen was elevated. At age 7 days hyperplasia was seen. When rats were reserpinized as neonates, hypoplasia and decrease in all parameters measured was observed at age 7 days. Progressive recovery occurred during the following 2 weeks in both groups. Electron microscopic study of the fetal-treated 24-hr-old pancreas revealed evidence of acinar cell degeneration with the presence of abnormal zymogen granules. At age 7 days the pancreas from neonatal-treated rat pups appeared to have a reduced number of granules. At ages 14 and 21 days the pancreas was similar to that seen at age 7 days except that the granules were larger and some acinar lumina were filled with a finely granular, homogeneously dense material. It is concluded that prenatal and neonatal reserpinization of rats induces changes in pancreas similar to those found in cystic fibrosis.
mesh_terms: D000681:Amylases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012110:Reserpine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D012110:Reserpine; D000681:Amylases