title: Microcirculation in pancreatic function.
abstract: The pancreas is involved in two major bodily functions: production of hormones involved in the control of carbohydrate metabolism and the production of enzymes essential to digestion. Pancreatic function is mediated by both neurological and humoral control. The major pathway for humoral control is through the circulatory system, the level of action being in the microcirculation. This introductory paper explores the need for a deeper understanding of the dynamic morphology, i.e. the actual flow patterns in the microcirculation, as a function of the physiological state and demand to complement the careful ultrastructural mapping of the microvasculature. The current state of knowledge in this field is reviewed as a basis for identifying important areas of knowledge and ignorance, and some suggestions are made as to possible procedures for further experimental studies, particularly in the microscopic observation of the dynamics of the microcirculation with special emphasis on the need for transport studies in both directions across the microvascular wall.
authors.affiliation: Division of Engineering and Applied Science, Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wayland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000502:physiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004285:Dogs; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008954:Models, Biological; D010179:Pancreas / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006728:Hormones