title: Intercalated duct cells in the chicken pancreatic islet with special reference to the alloxan administration.
abstract: The intercalated duct cells were observed in the A and B islets of the chicken pancreas. These cells adhered with each other by intercellular junctional complexes at the apical side. They had many microvilli projecting into the lumen. Abluminally, they displayed extended slender cytoplasmic processes between islet endocrine cells. Administration of alloxan resulted to denser cytoplasm and a more prominent thickening of cytoplasmic processes of the intercalated duct cells, although the blood glucose levels did not show appreciable changes by the treatment. The intercalated duct epithelial cells appeared clearly as stellate cells. The lysosomes increased in size and number with passage of time after alloxan administration. The present findings may suggest that intercalated ducts are not only anatomically important as a structure passing through the islet but also play physiologically by protecting the islet endocrine cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Aomori, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mutoh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wakuri
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens; D018870:Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D000496:Alloxan