Pancreatic injury induces β-cell regeneration in axolotl

Diabetes is a condition characterized by a loss of pancreatic β-cell function which results in the dysregulation of insulin homeostasis. Using a partial pancreatectomy model in axolotl, we aimed to observe the pancreatic response to injury.

Here we show a comprehensive histological assessment of pancreatic islets in axolotl. Following pancreatic injury, no apparent blastemal structure was observed. We found a significant, organ-wide increase in cellular proliferation post-resection in the pancreas compared to sham-operated controls. This proliferative response was most robust at the site of injury. We found that β-cells actively contributed to the increased rates of proliferation upon injury. β-cell proliferation manifested in increased β-cell mass in injured tissue at two weeks post injury. At four weeks post injury, we found organ-wide proliferation to be extinguished while proliferation at the injury site persisted, corresponding to pancreatic tissue recovery. Similarly, total β-cell mass was comparable to sham after four weeks.

Our findings suggest a non-blastema-mediated regeneration process takes place in the pancreas, by which pancreatic resection induces whole-organ β-cell proliferation without the formation of a blastemal structure. This process is analogous to other models of compensatory growth in axolotl, including liver regeneration.