[Experimental studies on regeneration of the pancreas--morphological and functional restoration of the remnant pancreas after major pancreatectomy].

In order to elucidate a regeneration of the pancreas, morphological and functional changes after major pancreatic resection were sequentially investigated in dogs. Within the first week after major pancreatectomy, the acinar cell division occurred, followed by hypertrophy resulting in an increase of the weight of the remnant pancreas. The regeneration rate correlated with the resection rate, glucose tolerance test, and insulin secretion of the remnant pancreas. Immediately after resection of more than 92% of the pancreas, severe diabetes and diarrhea developed. The regeneration rate was 29.9 +/- 6.03% (mean +/- SD) three to six weeks after surgery, without any recovery of the exocrine function. After twelve weeks following resection of 74 to 92% of the pancreas, so-called Sandmeyer's diabetes developed. The regeneration rate was 45.3 +/- 4.22% in the nondiabetic group, accompanied with a good recovery of the exocrine function, but in the diabetic group it revealed regeneration rate of 15.4 +/- 2.39% with less recovery of the exocrine function. When less than 74% of the pancreas was resected, no significant changes were observed in both morphological and functional studies in the remnant pancreas with regeneration rate of 5.5 +/- 6.62%.