Nerve growth factor and pancreatic APUD cells

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Pancreatic endocrine cells, including A, B, and D cells, were historically classified as APUD (Amine Precursor Uptake and Decarboxylation) cells.
• APUD cells have been widely considered to originate from the neural crest, a transient embryonic structure that gives rise to various cell types.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the developmental origin of pancreatic endocrine cells.
• To determine if pancreatic endocrine cells share the neural crest origin proposed for APUD cells.

Main Methods:

• Neonatal rats were subjected to passive immunization using nerve growth factor antiserum.
• The development of the superior cervical ganglia, a known neural crest derivative, was monitored.
• The pancreatic content of key hormones (glucagon, insulin, somatostatin) was quantified.

Main Results:

• Passive immunization with nerve growth factor antiserum significantly inhibited the development of superior cervical ganglia.
• Despite the inhibition of neural crest-derived ganglia, the pancreatic content of glucagon, insulin, and somatostatin remained unaffected.
• This indicates that the development of pancreatic A, B, and D cells is independent of the developmental pathway targeted by the antiserum.

Conclusions:

• Pancreatic A, B, and D cells do not appear to be derived from the neural crest.
• These pancreatic endocrine cell types are under separate developmental control mechanisms compared to neural crest-derived cells like the superior cervical ganglia.