Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Assessing Replication and Beta Cell Function in Adenovirally-transduced Isolated Rodent Islets
Published on: June 25, 2012
Beta cell mass regulation in the rat pancreas through glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones
Anne Jörns1, Christoph Sennholz, Ortwin Naujok
1Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Joerns.Anne@mh-hannover.de
Objectives:
To compare the effects of glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones on the regulation of the beta cell mass in the pancreas, the rats were treated and analyzed for cell cycle changes in islet and duct cells as a source for beta cell neogenesis.
Methods:
Different rat pancreases were morphometrically analyzed after immunohistochemical staining for markers of proliferation and apoptosis.
Results:
Hydrocortisone increased the beta cell mass of rat pancreases through an increase of proliferation. This effect was counteracted by an increase of apoptosis. In contrast, thyroxine decreased the beta cell mass through an increase of apoptosis. This effect was counteracted by an increased rate of proliferation. Combined treatment with both hormones nullified the antagonistic effects on proliferation, apoptosis, and beta cell mass, thereby contributing to the maintenance of a stable total beta cell volume of the pancreas.
Conclusions:
Hydrocortisone and thyroxine induced analogous changes in pancreatic duct cells, which represent a crucial pool for new beta cells through neogenesis. This may explain the positive effects of glucocorticoids in the immunosuppressive therapy regimen after whole pancreas transplantation upon long-term insulin independence, which is not achievable with isolated islets because of the loss of duct cells during the islet process before transplantation.
Related Concept Videos
Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
Insulin and C-peptide are co-secreted in...
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
Type II Diabetes II: Pathophysiology
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
Regulation of Hormone Secretion
Humoral stimuli,...
Cells and Secretions of the Pancreas
Exocrine function is carried out by acinar cells, organized into clusters known as acini. These cells contribute to digestion by releasing substantial quantities of enzyme-rich, alkaline digestive juices.
Concurrently, the dispersed clusters of endocrine cells throughout the...

