title: Proliferation and differentiation of duct epithelial cells after partial pancreatectomy in rats.
abstract: The proliferation and differentiation of pancreatic duct epithelial cells in remnant pancreas during regeneration after partial pancreatectomy in rats were studied, and the source of pancreatic stem cells was characterized. Partial (90 %) pancreatectomy was performed on 4- to 5-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats, and different duct epithelial cells and acinar cells were detected by immunohistrochemical stain method and scored using 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling index (LI) at various time points after partial pancreatectomy. It was found that at 24 h after partial pancreatectomy proliferation started in the main, large and small duct cells, and persisted in small duct cells to day 5. There was significant difference between the experimental group and the control group (P<0.001). Acinar cells positive for BrdU were greatly increased and reached the peak LI on day 5. The destroyed lobular architecture almost totally recovered on day 7, and the newly islet cells appeared around the pancreatic ducts. These results suggest that regeneration after partial pancreatectomy is involved in proliferation and differentiation of pancreatic stem cells, and pancreatic stem cells may locate in the pancreatic ductules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chunyou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chidan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Jiongxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*