[Electron microscopy and ultrahistochemical studies on the innervation of the vagotomized dog pancreas]

The ultrastructural features of axon profiles and synapses within islets of Langerhans and pancreas have been examined after a bilateral truncular vagotomy (1, 2 and 20 weeks). The results are as follows: The cholinergic and noradrenergic axons were not reduced according to controls. The integrity of neuro-cellular synapses was unchanged in the pancreas and islets of Langerhans. Intrinsic axon profiles formed synapses with A- and B-cells and acinous cells 2 or 20 weeks after vagotomy. It is concluded that the innervation of the endocrine and exocrine pancreas cells remains unchanged after extrinsic denervation (vagotomy).