The duct-ligated pancreas transplant and its effect on the islet cellular composition of the host pancreas. A morphometric analysis.

Rats rendered diabetic by streptozotocin were subjected to pancreas transplantation. After twenty weeks, the duct-ligated pancreas transplant was studied morphometrically to determine the effect of duct occlusion on the various cell populations of the islets. Concomitantly, the streptozotocin-treated host pancreas was examined for a possible influence of the graft on the diabetic pattern of islet cell population. Twenty weeks after pancreas transplantation, the volume fractions of insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide cells in the graft islets did not differ from those of the normal control pancreas. In the pancreas of nontransplanted diabetic rats, insulin-positive B cells were reduced from 60-65% to less than 10% of the islet volume, whereas non-B cells were significantly increased in volume density. The changes in fractional volume of the various islet cells correlated fairly well with changes in plasma concentration of the corresponding pancreas hormones. In the recipient's own pancreas, the relative volumes of glucagon and somatostatin cells were unaffected by the pancreas transplant. However, the insulin cell mass was significantly increased, and comprised about 20% of the islet volume, while cells containing pancreatic polypeptide were found only sporadically.