Characterization of the pancreas of common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus): A light and transmission electron microscope study.

The present work was carried out to investigate the structure and ultra structure of the pancreas in the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). Totally, five healthy adult pheasant were used. The pancreas was assessed using histochemistry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The pancreas was composed of four lobes: dorsal, ventral, third, and splenic lobes. These lobes emptied into ascending duodenum through three excretory ducts as: ventral duct, splenic duct, and a common duct for dorsal and third lobes. The exocrine pancreas was constituted of pyramidal-shaped acinar cells with aggregation of zymogen granules at their apical cytoplasm. The endocrine pancreas was identified as large islet of Langerhans as α islets and small islets as β ones. No mixed islet was observed. At the level of TEM, two types of acinar cells were distinguished: Dark cells with electron dense cytoplasm, and indented nucleus, Light cells with electron lucent cytoplasm, and regular nucleus. The α islets were mainly constituted by A and D cells, whereas the β islets principally contained B cells and a few A cells. No D cells were identified in β islets. B cells were characterized by their polymorphic granules which were surrounded by a narrow halo zone. The granules of D cells were quite different. These cells contained large spherical granules with lower density as compared to the A or B granules surrounded by a limiting membrane. In conclusion, the pancreas of the common pheasant has a species-specific feature which must be considered in phylogenic studies. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The common pheasant's pancreas was composed of four lobes as dorsal, ventral, third, and splenic lobe. There were three excretory ducts. Ventral duct for ventral lobe, a common duct for both dorsal and third lobes, and a distinct splenic duct for splenic lobe. The exocrine acini were composed of two distinct types of cells: dark cells and light cells. The large alpha islets were composed of alpha cells and a few numbers of delta cells and small beta islets were composed of beta cells and a few numbers of alpha cells.