Effect of hydrocortisone on pancreatic growth in rats.

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of hydrocortisone on pancreatic size and composition in suckling, recently weaned, growing, and adult rats. The data demonstrate that hydrocortisone 1) is associated with hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the pancreas in suckling rats, 2) suppressed DNA synthesis in recently weaned rats, but maintained the hypertrphic effect, 3) increased protein and pancreatic hydrolase concentrations in growing and adult rats, and 4) preferentially promoted synthesis of amylase over chymotrypsin only during the suckling period. These experiments suggest that growth of the pancreas may be partly under control of glucocorticoids only during the suckling period, whereas hypertrophy of the pancreatic tissue can be obtained at all ages by these hormones.