Local renin-angiotensin system in the pancreas: the significance in acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis is a complex disease entity of which the pathogenesis is still not completely known. Research into the initiation and propagation of the diseases would hopefully help to design new treatment strategies for patients, especially those with severe acute pancreatitis. The novel observation of the activation of the local pancreatic renin-angiotensin system in experimental pancreatitis opens up new horizons for research regarding the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis.