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The ultrastructure of the cell types in the endocrine pancreas of the horse

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Summary

The islets of Langerhans of the equine pancreas were examined with the electron microscope after immersion or perfusion fixation. Five cell types could be distinguished after fixation by either technique: 1. A-cells, situated at the center of the islets, 2. B-cells, containing mostly “pale granules” and constituting the principal cell type of the periphery of the islets, 3. D-cells, also located mainly at the periphery of the islets, 4. G-cells, found at the edge of the islets and in the exocrine pancreas, and 5. S-cells, (small granule cells), which are relatively few in number and occur only in the islets. The function and age-dependent modifications of these cells are discussed. The formation of light and dark cells and of “mixed cells” are regarded as artifact, since cells of this type occur only under the condition of immersion fixation.

Zusammenfassung

Das Inselorgan der Bauchspeicheldrüse des Pferdes wurde an immersions- und perfusionsfixiertem Material untersucht. Dabei ließen sich nach der Immersions- wie Perfusionsfixation fünf Zelltypen unterscheiden: 1. A-Zellen, die im Zentrum der Insel liegen, 2. B-zellen, die hauptsächlich blasse Granula enthalten und den größten Teil der Inselperipherie ausmachen, 3. D-Zellen, die ebenfalls vorwiegend in der Inselperipherie liegen, 4. G-Zellen, die am Rand der Inseln und im exokrinen Pankreas anzutreffen sind, 5. S-Zellen (“small granule cells”), die relativ selten und nur in den Inseln zu finden sind. Über die Funktion und altersabhängigen Veränderungen dieser Zellen wird diskutiert. Die Bildung von hellen und dunklen Zellen halten wir für ein Artefakt, ebenso die Bildung von sog. Mischzellen, da diese Zelltypen nur nach Immersionsfixation auftreten.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anatomisches Institut der Universität Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany

    Antje Forssmann

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  1. Antje Forssmann
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Dedicated to Professor Dr. Drs. h.c. W. Bargmann on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

Dissertation in medicine under the supervision of Prof. H. Ferner, supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Grant Fo, 77/1-3.

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Forssmann, A. The ultrastructure of the cell types in the endocrine pancreas of the horse. Cell Tissue Res. 167, 179–195 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224326

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224326

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