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Argyrophilic and hormone immunoreactive cells in normal and hyperplastic pancreatic ducts and exocrine pancreatic carcinoma

Virchows Archiv A volume 413, pages 399–405 (1988)Cite this article

Summary

Scattered argyrophil cells were present in normal, large, medium-sized and small pancreatic ducts (ductules). There was marked increase in argyrophil cells in ducts with hyperplastic epithelium. Argyrophil cells were also found in 67.7% of all exocrine pancreatic carcinomas. In a well differentiated group including cystadenocarcinoma, mucinous carcinoma and well differentiated ductal adenocarcinoma argyrophil cells were found in all cases examined. Using four antisera (against insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and gastrin), insulin, glucagon and somatostatin cells were identified in 2.65%, 0.001% and 1.2% of normal ducts, and 7.5%, 2.4% and 4.6% of ducts with hyperplastic epithelium respectively and were also greatly increased in numbers in the latter group. Immunoreactive cells were present in 66.7% of exocrine carcinomas. Cells reactive for insulin were found in 7/15 cases; glucagon in 6/15 cases; somatostatin in 5/15 cases and gastrin in 2/15 cases. Eight cases contained two or more than two types of immunoreactive cells. The presence of argyrophil and hormone immunoreactive cells in pancreatic ducts and carcinomas is indicative of the close developmental relationship between endocrine and exocrine parts of the pancreas. The inter-relationship of response in the different cell types following stimulus suggests that injury to a common precursor may be involved.

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Author notes

  1. Jie Chen

    Present address: Department of Pathology, Capital Hospital, Beijing, China

Affiliations

  1. Department of Morbid Anatomy, The London Hospital, E1 1BB, London, UK

    Jie Chen, Suhail I. Baithun, David J. Pollock & Colin L. Berry

Authors
  1. Jie Chen
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  2. Suhail I. Baithun
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  3. David J. Pollock
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  4. Colin L. Berry
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Chen, J., Baithun, S.I., Pollock, D.J. et al. Argyrophilic and hormone immunoreactive cells in normal and hyperplastic pancreatic ducts and exocrine pancreatic carcinoma. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 413, 399–405 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00716988

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00716988

Key words

  • Argyrophil cell
  • Hormone immunoreactive cell
  • Pancreatic carcinoma
  • Normal duct
  • Hyperplastic duct