Comparative immunocytochemistry of isolated rat & monkey pancreatic islet cell types.
OBJECTIVE
Data on comparative distribution of the islet cell types in the Indian bonnet monkeys and rats are not available. The aim of the present study was to compare the arrangement of the three islet cell types in the native and in isolated rat and Indian bonnet monkey islets by immunocytochemistry.


METHODS
Rat islets isolated by chopped tissue collagenase digestion method and islets of monkey isolated by intraductal collagenase digestion method were immunostained by streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method.


RESULTS
Immunocytochemical staining of the isolated islets in both the species revealed the presence of three different cell types: insulin secreting B cells, glucagon secreting A cells and somatostatin secreting D cells. The arrangement of islet cell types in the rats and monkeys was similar to that of the intact islets of the native pancreas but were arranged in a definite pattern. In rats the A and D cells were peripherally arranged around the centrally located B cells. In monkeys the B cells occupied the majority of the periphery while the A and D cells were found mostly in the centre.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the present study showed that the arrangement of cell types in the islets was not affected by the isolation procedure. The difference in the arrangement of islet cell types in the two species may reflect special functional adaptations.
Department of Physiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
S Rebecca
SR
Sujatha
Ansu
A
Pulimood
S
S
Gunasekaran
D000818:Animals; D001710:Biotin / Q000737:chemistry; D017364:Collagenases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D000882:Haplorhini; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D008255:Macaca radiata; D008297:Male; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013045:Species Specificity; D019809:Streptavidin / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
D001710:Biotin; D019809:Streptavidin; D009195:Peroxidase; D017364:Collagenases