[Microvasculature of islets in human pancreas]

The microvasculature of islets was studied by light microscopy with ink-injection and scanning electron microscopy with vascular casts respectively in 11 human pancreas. The results revealed that most of the islets were supplied by the branches of the intralobular artery directly. The islets appeared in 3 types (central type, peripheral type and mixed type) characterized by the site where the afferent vessels entered the islets. Two (convergent and continuous) patterns of portal vessels were found according to their calibre and length. Some of the small islets were supplied by the efferent vessels of the adjacent large islets, and the vessels connecting the large and small islets were called insulo-insular portal vessels.