The pancreas in recent-onset type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus: insulin content of islets, insulitis and associated changes in the exocrine acinar tissue.
The pancreatic autopsy findings of 11 children with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus are presented. Nine children died within 24 h of initial presentation. In these 'recent-onset' diabetic patients many islets were shrunken and insulin-deficient. However, large islets containing B cells were present also. Insulitis was present in eight recent-onset diabetic subjects; in these, 18% of insulin-containing islets were inflamed, but only 1% of insulin-deficient islets were thus affected. This finding supports the concept of an immunologically mediated destruction of B cells in the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes. Severe acinar cell atrophy was present surrounding insulin-deficient islets, but acinar tissue around insulin-containing islets was normal. These exocrine changes are thought to be related to islet-exocrine vascular connections and the effects of the various islet hormones on pancreatic acini.
D001284:Atrophy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000473:pathology*; D003926:Diabetic Coma / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*
D007328:Insulin