Antibodies against the human pancreas in acute and chronic liver disease

Different immunofluorescence reactions in the exocrine pancreas were observed with the sera of patients with acute and chronic liver disease. In the majority of cases the antibody, frequently associated with the antibody against the smooth muscle, reacted with diffuse organ-specific antigens in the cytoplasm; in one patient it reacted with fibrillar antigens in the cells, while in another case the fluorescence was due to antibodies against non-specific ribosomal antigens. The occurrence, nature and significance of these reactions are discussed.