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Surgical Injury to the Mouse Pancreas through Ligation of the Pancreatic Duct as a Model for Endocrine and Exocrine Reprogramming and Proliferation
Published on: August 7, 2015
Pathological changes in pancreatic ducts from patients with chronic pancreatitis
D E Bockman1, M Muller, M Büchler
1Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-2000, USA.
Conclusion:
Chronic pancreatitis and restricted pancreatic outflow are accompanied by pathological changes in the ducts, including inflammation and alterations in the microvasculature. These changes and loss of epithelium provide a likely explanation for increased release of serum proteins, immunoglobulins, and lactoferrin into the juice, and the possibility of luminal contents entering the extracellular space and bloodstream.
Background:
Enlargement of pancreatic ducts is a well-known phenomenon accompanying chronic pancreatitis and conditions restricting outflow of pancreatic juice. However, the relationship between ductal pathology and concomitant changes in the pancreatic juice is incompletely understood.
Methods:
Segments of pancreatic ducts removed at surgery from patients with chronic pancreatitis and conditions restricting outflow were studied by light and electron microscopy to assess the pathological changes.
Results:
Pathological changes in ducts from patients with chronic pancreatitis include chronic inflammation in the wall, enlarged and numerous capillaries packed with erythrocytes and leukocytes close to the lumen, and loss of epithelium and sometimes basement membrane. Plasma cells provide a source for increased immunoglobulins. Ducts from patients with diseases restricting outflow show significant pathology.
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Acute pancreatitis is characterized by rapid inflammation of the pancreas, often caused by factors like gallstone blockage or excessive alcohol consumption. Chronic pancreatitis, on the other hand, is a slow, progressive inflammation that may result from long-term alcohol abuse, obstructions in the pancreatic duct, or genetic factors.
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Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs when the immune system becomes active and causes swelling, pain, and disruptions in organ function. Pancreatitis can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
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Assessment:
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