Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
Implementing Patch Clamp and Live Fluorescence Microscopy to Monitor Functional Properties of Freshly Isolated PKD Epithelium
Published on: September 1, 2015
Structure and function of the pancreas in the polycystic kidney rat
Lanjuan Yi1, Satoru Naruse, Sonoko Furuya
1Department of Human Nutrition, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Insights
Polycystic kidney (PCK) rats, models for human autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, show altered pancreatic duct structure and reduced fluid secretion. These findings suggest primary cilia influence pancreatic duct function.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
- Physiology
Background:
- Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is linked to mutations in the Pkhd1 gene, which encodes fibrocystin, a ciliary protein.
- PCK rats, a model for ARPKD, develop kidney and liver cysts due to Pkhd1 mutations.
- The role of primary cilia in pancreatic duct structure and function remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the structure and function of the exocrine pancreas in PCK rats.
- To determine the role of fibrocystin and primary cilia in pancreatic duct regulation.
Main Methods:
- Collected pancreatic juice and bile from anesthetized PCK and wild-type (WT) rats.
- Analyzed pancreatic ductal structure using microdissection and immunohistochemistry.
- Assessed pancreatic duct distensibility and fluid secretion in response to secretin and carbamylcholine.
Main Results:
- Pancreatic acini appeared normal; no pancreatic cysts were observed.
- Larger pancreatic ducts in PCK rats showed irregular dilation and increased AQP1 expression.
- PCK rat pancreatic ducts exhibited significantly higher distensibility than WT rats.
- Fluid secretion in response to low-dose secretin was reduced in PCK rats, but not at higher doses.
- Amylase secretion was comparable between PCK and WT rats.
Conclusions:
- Fibrocystin and primary cilia may regulate pancreatic ductal structure.
- These mechanisms appear to play a role in controlling pancreatic fluid secretion.
Objectives:
Mutation in the Pkhd1 gene that encodes a ciliary protein, fibrocystin, causes multiple cysts in the kidneys and liver in the polycystic kidney (PCK) rat, a model for human autosomal recessive PCK disease. To clarify the role of primary cilia in the pancreatic duct, we examined the structure and function of the exocrine pancreas of PCK rats.
Methods:
Pancreatic juice and bile were collected from anesthetized rats. Pancreatic ductal structure was analyzed by microdissection and immunohist0chemistry.
Results:
Histologically pancreatic acini were apparently normal, and no cysts were detected in the pancreas. Larger pancreatic ducts were irregularly dilated with enhanced expression of AQP1 in epithelial cells. The pancreatic duct of PCK rats exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher distensibility than that of wild-type (WT) rat at a physiological luminal pressure (3 cm H2O). Pancreatic fluid secretion stimulated with a physiological dose of secretin (0.03 nmol/kg per hour) in PCK rats was significantly smaller than that in WT, but the differences were not significant at higher doses. The amylase responses to carbamylcholine were not different between PCK and WT rats.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that fibrocystin/primary cilia-dependent mechanisms may play a role in the regulation of pancreatic ductal structure and fluid secretion.
More Related Videos
10:31Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Whole Kidney, Medulla, and Cortical Tubules in Diabetic Pathogenesis of Kidney Injury in Mice
Published on: May 2, 2025
09:00Microdissection of Primary Renal Tissue Segments and Incorporation with Novel Scaffold-free Construct Technology
Published on: March 27, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:45Kidney Structure
01:12Internal Anatomy of the Kidney
Anatomical Position and Dimensions
The kidneys are retroperitoneal organs positioned against the posterior abdominal wall on either side of the spine, roughly between the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae. Each kidney is typically 10-12 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, and 3-4 cm thick, weighing about 150 grams.
Renal Cortex
The outermost region of the kidney is the...
01:19Pancreas
The broad head of the pancreas lies within the loop formed by the duodenum, while its slender body reaches towards the spleen. The tail of the pancreas is short and...
01:16Cells 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...
01:21External Anatomy of the Kidney
The kidneys are located in the retroperitoneal space on either side of the vertebral column, protected posteriorly by the 11th and 12th ribs. The right kidney sits slightly lower than the left owing to the presence of the liver...
01:20Renal Corpuscle
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous capillaries...