[Morphofunctional changes in the exocrine pancreatic cells in acute experimental pancreatitis in rats]

Experimental pancreatitis was induced by cooling the splenetic part of rat pancreas with chlorethyl, and the cells of duodenal area of the pancreas were studied at different stages of pancreatitis using cytomorphometry, cytomorphology and autoradiography. Interlobular and interacinar oedemas were observed at the first hours after treatment. In 24 hours the intracellular oedema of exocrine pancreatic cells (EP) was detected. On day 14 after treatment typical acute edematous pancreatitis developed. The observed changes involve a pathological activation of EP of the duodenal area, a subsequent restoration of the structure of this area, and later a passage of pancreatitis into the chronic form. The usefulness of this model of pancreatitis for quantitative cytochemical studies of EP during pathogenesis and drug treatment is discussed.