No abstract available.
Pancreatic Polypeptide*

We report a case of giant pancreatic pseudocyst after acute pancreatitis, successfully treated with saikokeishitokabushi. A 71-year-old man had been undergoing treatment in our hospital for cerebral infarction and diabetes. He was complicated with acute pancreatitis. He received conservative treatment, showing a tendency toward symptomatic improvement, although abdominal pain and anorexia subsequently developed. A giant pancreatic pseudocyst was identified on abdominal computed tomography. Therefore, we administered saikokeishitokabushi without changing the other oral medication. Many of his symptoms disappeared, and cyst reduction was noted. saikokeishitokabushi is generally prescribed for epigastric pain or anorexia after febrile illness. In this case, it is thought that saikokeishitokabushi exhibited an action leading to cyst reduction.
Acute pancreatitis ; Large ; Treated with ; Reduction (chemical) ; Pancreatic polypeptide, avian

PURPOSE: This study was designed to delineate the anatomical details of the pancreatic head for a ventral or dorsal segmental pancreatic resection along the embryological fusion plane, and to determine the feasibility of both procedures. METHODS: The resected pancreaticoduodenectomy specimens were analyzed (n=8), with the pancreatic and distal common bile ducts visualized by pancreatography (n=8). Immunohistochemical staining, with pancreatic polypeptide (PP), was performed in serially sliced specimens (n=3). The immunohistochemical and H&E staining were performed to evaluate the composition of the anatomical structures of the two differentially stained pancreas. RESULTS: What was presumed to be the embryological fusion plane was discovered between two differentially stained segments. This started just above the anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery, directed to the posterior superior part of the pancreatic head and ended at the anterior surface of the distal common bile duct. The duct of Wirsung and the distal common bile duct were included in the posterior segment of the pancreas (ventral pancreas). There were two types of pancreatic duct arrangement, with the differences between the two types being; (1) the distance between the fusion point of the ventral and dorsal pancreatic ducts and the papilla of Vater, and (2) the stream of the Santorini duct. The branches of the pancreatic ducts were scattered over the entire pancreatic head region in multiple-directions. CONCLUSION: The fusion plane of the ventral and dorsal pancreas seems to initiate just above the anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery, in a posterior-superior direction along the anterior surface of the distal common bile duct. A ventral pancreatectomy seems an impractical procedure with regard to the postoperative morbidity and operative difficulty, while a dorsal pancreatectomy seems to be more practical and feasible in its clinical aspects.
Arteries ; Common Bile Duct ; Head* ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Polypeptide ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Rivers

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; secretion ; Male ; Pancreatic Polypeptide ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

A 65-year-old man was referred to our hospital in April 2003 with a pancreas tumor detected by a thorough medical checkup. Computed tomography (CT) showed swelling of the pancreatic body and tail, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) showed only the main pancreatic duct in the head of the pancreas. Diagnosing autoimmune pancreatitis, we observed the patient without medication. However, one year later CT showed stenosis of the splenic artery and portal vein accompanied by development of collateral circulation around the pancreas. He had no symptoms, and CT showed no changes in the pancreatic swelling.;;He was admitted to our hospital on January 6, 2005, presenting with a history of jaundice which first appeared on January 1, 2005, and increased collateral circulation around the pancreas with pancreatic swelling were seen on CT. We started prednisolone therapy at 40 mg/day for exacerbation of autoimmune pancreatitis. Serum bilirubin levels improved from 11.9 mg/dl to 2.5 mg/dl, and pancreatic swelling also improved four weeks after starting therapy.;;We present a rare case of autoimmune pancreatitis that developed marked collateral circulations.
X-Ray Computed Tomography ; Pancreatitis ; Collateral Circulation ; Pancreatic polypeptide, avian ; Swelling

In order to study the regional distribution and relative frequency of the immunoreactive endocrine cells in the pancreatic islets of the Mongolian gerbil, pancreatic sections of Meriones unguiculatus were immunostained using an immunohistochemical (PAP) method with four types of specific antisera against insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and human pancreatic polypeptide (PP). The pancreatic islets were subdivided into three portions (central region, mantle zone and peripheral region) according to their composition of immunoreactive cells. Spherical to spindle shaped insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and PP-immunoreactive cells were observed in this study. Insulin-immunoreactive cells were present in the central regions with high frequency, and a few of these cells were also demonstrated in the mantle zones. Glucagon-immunoreactive cells were mainly restricted to the mantle zones. However, rare examples were found in the peripheral regions. As for the glucagon-immunoreactive cells, somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were detected in the mantle zones and peripheral regions with moderate and rare frequencies, respectively. PP-immunoreactive cells were found in the mantle zones and peripheral regions with rare and moderate frequencies, respectively. In the mantle and the peripheral regions, cytoplasmic process of glucagon-, somatostatin- and PP-immunoreactive cells were intermingled. In conclusion, the regional distribution of endocrine cells in the pancreatic islets of Mongolian gerbil was found to be similar to that of other mammals, especially other rodents, except for the topographical different distribution of somatostatin which differs that of other rodents.
Animals ; Gerbillinae ; Glucagon/analysis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry/methods/veterinary ; Insulin/analysis ; Islets of Langerhans/anatomy & histology/*cytology ; Pancreatic Polypeptide/analysis ; Somatostatin/analysis

The regional distribution and relative frequency of some endocrine cells in the pancreas of the carp, Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, belonging to the family Cyprinidae in the order Cypriniformes, were observed using specific mammalian antisera against insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and human pancreatic polypeptide (hPP) by peroxidase antiperoxidase (PAP) method. The pancreas was divided into four regions (principal and secondary islets, exocrine and pancreatic duct regions). In addition, the pancreatic islet regions were further subdivided into three regions (central, mantle and peripheral regions) and the pancreatic duct regions were subdivided into two regions (epithelial and subepithelial regions). Spherical to spindle or occasionally round to oval shaped immunoreactive (IR) cells were demonstrated in the pancreatic islets, exocrine and pancreatic duct. In the principal islet regions, some cells were also detected in the other regions, most of insulin- and somatostatin-IR cells were located in the central regions, and glucagon- and hPP-IR cells were situated in the peripheral regions. In this regions, insulin-IR cells were most predominant cell types and then, glucagon, somatostatin and hPP in that order. In the secondary islet regions, the regional distribution and relative frequency of these four types of endocrine cells were quite similar to those of the principal islets except for cell clusters consisted of hPP-IR cells that were situated in the peripheral to mantle regions. In the pancreatic duct regions, all four major pancreatic endocrine cells were demonstrated in the inter-epithelial cells and/or basal regions of the epithelial linning. In addition, cell clusters composed of numerous insulin-, moderate glucagon- and somatostatin-IR cells of low frequency were also observed in the subepithelial regions of the pancreatic duct. In the exocrine regions, insulin-, glucagon-, somatostatin- and hPP-IR cells were located in the inter-acinus regions with rare, a few, moderate and moderate frequencies, respectively. In conclusion, the regional distribution and relative frequency of four major pancreatic endocrine cells, insulin-, glucagon-, somatostatin- and hPP-IR cells, in the pancreas of the carp showed general patterns which were observed in other stomachless teleost. However, some species- dependent different distributional patterns and/or relative frequencies were also demonstrated.
Animals ; Carps/*metabolism ; Female ; Glucagon/metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry/veterinary ; Insulin/metabolism ; Male ; Pancreas/cytology/*metabolism ; Pancreatic Polypeptide/metabolism ; Somatostatin/metabolism

Aim of this study was to investigate if pancreatic polypeptide (PP) reduced the insulin action via the intra-pancreatic cholinergic nerves in the isolated rat pancreas. The pancreas was isolated from rats and perfused with intra-arterial infusion of modified Krebs-Henseleit solution containing 2.5 mM glucose at a flow rate of 1.2 ml/min. Simultaneous intra-arterial infusion of insulin (100 nM) resulted in potentiation of the pancreatic flow rate and amylase output which were stimulated by cholecystokinin (CCK, 14 pM). These potentiating actions of insulin on the CCK-stimulated pancreatic exocrine secretion were completely abolished by administration of rat PP. Vesamicol, a potent inhibitor of vesicular acetylcholine storage, and tetrodotoxin (TTX) also significantly reduced the combined actions of insulin and CCK. Administration of carbamylcholine, an acetylcholine agonist, completely restored the vesamicol-or TTX-induced inhibition of the potentiation between insulin and CCK. Also rat PP failed to attenuate the restoring effect of carbamylcholine. Electrical field stimulation (15-30 V, 2 msec and 8 Hz) resulted in a significant increase in the pancreatic flow rate and amylase output in voltage-dependent manner. Effects of electrical field stimulation were augmented by endogenous insulin. Rat PP also suppressed the pancreatic exocrine secretion stimulated by electrical field stimulation. These observations strongly suggest that PP inhibits the potentiating actions of insulin on CCK-stimulated pancreatic exocrine secretion by suppression of the intra-pancreatic cholinergic activity in the isolated rat pancreas.
Acetylcholine ; Amylases ; Animals ; Carbachol ; Cholecystokinin ; Cholinergic Agonists ; Glucose ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Insulin ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatic Polypeptide* ; Rats* ; Tetrodotoxin

Pancreatic polypeptie (PP) is released from the pancreas in response to vagal stimulation. Amongst other effects, PP has been reported to inhibit pancreatic exocrine function. Apart from any potential physiological role, such inhibition could have important consequences for in vitro studies of pancreatic function employing acetylcholine as a stimulus. We have therefore tested the effect of bovine PP on two in vitro pancreatic preparations: the incubated, uncinate pancreas of young rats and the perfused cat pancreas. In the former, PP (10(-10)-10(-8)M) had little or no effect on enzyme discharge or45Ca efflux under basal conditions or during stimulation with caerulein, CCK-PZ or acetylcholine. In the perfused cat pancreas, similar concentrations of PP were also without effect on fluid secretion evoked by secretin infusion, or enzyme discharge evoked by CCK-PZ injection or infusion. We conclude that bovine PP has no direct effects on the cellular mechanisms responsible for pancreatic electrolyte secretion or enzyme discharge in the species studied.
Acetylcholine/pharmacology ; Amylases/secretion* ; Animal ; Caerulein/pharmacology ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Cats ; Cholecystokinin/pharmacology ; Electrolytes/secretion* ; In Vitro ; Pancreas/drug effects ; Pancreas/metabolism* ; Pancreatic Polypeptide/pharmacology* ; Perfusion ; Rats ; Secretin/pharmacology

The regional distribution and relative frequency of insulin-, glucagon-, somatostatin- and pancreatic polypeptide (PP)-producing endocrine cells in the pancreas of BALB/c mouse were investigated by immunohistochemical method. The pancreas of mice was divided into two portions; pancreatic islets and exocrine portions, and pancreatic islets were further subdivided into two regions (central and peripheral regions) and the relative frequency and regional distribution of immunoreactive cells against insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and PP antisera were monitored. In the pancreatic islet portions, insulin-immunoreactive cells were located in the central regions and they were randomly dispersed in the whole pancreatic islets in some case of the small islets. Quite different from those of other mammals, glucagon-immunoreactive cells were dispersed throughout central to peripheral regions in case of large islets and in the smaller ones, most of these cells were situated in the peripheral regions. Somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were detected in the peripheral regions with various frequencies. Although some cells were demonstrated in the central regions of pancreatic islets, most of PP-immunoreactive cells were located in the peripheral regions. In the exocrine portions, all four types of immunoreactive cells were demonstrated in the BALB/c mouse. Some peculiar distributional patterns of pancreatic endocrine cells were found in BALB/c mouse, especially in case of glucagon-immunoreactive cells.
Animals ; Female ; Glucagon/*metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry/veterinary ; Insulin/metabolism ; Islets of Langerhans/cytology/*metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C/*metabolism ; Pancreatic Polypeptide/metabolism ; Somatostatin/metabolism