title: Intercalated duct cells in the moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) pancreatic islet.
abstract: Intercalated duct cells are present in the alpha and beta islets of the moorhen pancreas. The intercalated duct cells adhere to each other via intercellular junctional complexes on the apical side, projecting many microvilli into the lumen. They also extend slender cytoplasmic processes between islet endocrine cells. These intercalated duct cells appear to have a stellate shape, and to wrap their cytoplasm around the endocrine cells. These observations suggest that intercalated ducts not only pass through the islets, but also play a role in support to islet cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Aomori, Japan.
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Mutoh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wakuri
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure