title: Distinct function of the head region of human pancreas in the pathogenesis of diabetes.
abstract: The large size of the human pancreas challenges unbiased quantitative analyses that require a practical stereological approach. While many histological studies of the pancreas in the past lacked regional information, we have shown marked heterogeneity within an individual, where islet distribution/density is relatively low in the head and gradually increases through the body toward the tail region by>2-fold. Studies focusing on the tail region may be prone to overestimation of β-cell/islet mass when normalizing measured values per person by using pancreas weight or volume. In this article, beyond technical issues, we discuss the pathophysiological importance of studying the head region of the human pancreas regarding its unique characteristics in early development, and the anatomical disposition that may lead to a preferential loss of β-cells in patients with type 2 diabetes and the development of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; The University of Chicago; Chicago, IL USA.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Savari
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine; The University of Chicago; Chicago, IL USA.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; The University of Chicago; Chicago, IL USA.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; The University of Chicago; Chicago, IL USA.
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; The University of Chicago; Chicago, IL USA.
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Millis
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; The University of Chicago; Chicago, IL USA.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Witkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine; The University of Chicago; Chicago, IL USA.
authors.forename: Manami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hara
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology*; D050418:Pancreatic Polypeptide-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology*
keywords: diabetes; islet; islet architecture; islet size; pancreas
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