Changes in the gap junction of rat exocrine pancreatic cells induced by long-term ethanol ingestion

Fourteen Male Wistar rats were orally administered 20% ethanol ad libitum in place of water. After 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months of ethanol ingestion, the gap junctions of pancreatic acinar and ductal cells were observed by transparent electron microscopy. The result was compared with fifteen control animals. In the control, the ductal cells proved to have only small sized (0.1 micron in length) gap junction located in the apical domain as a part of junctional complex. While, in the acinar cells, not only small but large-sized gap junctions several microns in length were observed in the baso-lateral domain. After 3 months of ethanol ingestion, the gap of these two types of gap junctions was replaced with a continuous, granular structure. In addition, irregularly running gap junctions were observed after 6 months of ethanol ingestion. The functional implication of these morphological changes is not clear.