The Journal of pathology
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The Journal of pathology · Aug 2002
Induction of PDX-1-positive cells in the main duct during regeneration after acute necrotizing pancreatitis in rats.
Pancreatic regeneration involves two pathways; proliferation and differentiation of pancreatic progenitor cells, which probably exist in pancreatic ductal epithelium, and replication of pre-existing differentiated acinar, islet, and ductal epithelial cells. During pancreatic development, differentiated cells arise from the ductal progenitor cells expressing the pancreatic/duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1) homeodomain transcription factor. The aims of this study were to characterize cell proliferation and differentiation during regeneration after acute necrotizing pancreatitis and to evaluate the role of PDX-1-positive stem cells. ⋯ Proliferation started in the main and large ducts at 24 h; marked mitotic activity was evident in small ductal epithelial cells and tubular complexes on day 3, and in acinar cells on day 7. At 24 h after induction of pancreatitis, epithelial cells of the main duct with PDX-1-positive nuclei were greatly increased, simultaneously with the peak LI of BrdU. These results suggest that regeneration after necrotizing pancreatitis involves proliferation and differentiation of pancreatic progenitor cells, and that ductal epithelial cells with PDX-1-positive nuclei may contribute to the differentiation of pancreatic stem cells in the main duct.