HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by DE GASPARO, M. Articles by MILNER, R. D. G. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by DE GASPARO, M. Articles by MILNER, R. D. G.

Foetal rat pancreatic rudiments explanted on day 14 of gestation were grown for 6 days in organ culture in medium containing glucose (5·5 or 16·5 mmol/l) and amino acids at the 'physiological' or seven times the 'physiological' concentration. At the end of the period of culture, the rudiments were compared with normal 20-day foetal pancreas for DNA content, insulin concentration and quantitative morphology. The secretion of insulin from the explants was tested during 2 h incubations in medium containing glucose (5·5 or 16·5 mmol/l).

Amino acid, but not glucose enrichment of the culture medium stimulated cellular growth of the rudiment which remained, nevertheless, smaller than that occurring in vivo. All culture conditions produced a smaller proportion of exocrine cells and a greater proportion of β and duct cells than were found in normal 20-day foetal pancreas. Enrichment with amino acids favoured the development of exocrine cells at the expense of duct cells. Glucose had no effect on the development of any type of cell. Enrichment with amino acids resulted in a higher concentration of insulin per β cell but the highest value observed in vitro was only one sixth of that occurring in vivo. The absolute number of β cells cultured in amino-acid-enriched medium was twice that occurring in vivo. Culture in a glucose-enriched medium had no effect on the ability of the explant to respond to an acute glucose challenge during a short incubation, but the basal and glucose-stimulated release of insulin from cultures grown in amino-acid-enriched medium were significantly greater.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Bertin, M.-N. Gangnerau, G. Bellon, D. Bailbe, A. Arbelot De Vacqueur, and B. Portha Development of beta -cell mass in fetuses of rats deprived of protein and/or energy in last trimester of pregnancy Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, September 1, 2002; 283(3): R623 - R630. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. E Bertram and M. A Hanson Animal models and programming of the metabolic syndrome: Type 2 diabetes Br. Med. Bull., November 1, 2001; 60(1): 103 - 121. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Cherif, B. Reusens, S. Dahri, and C. Remacle A Protein-Restricted Diet during Pregnancy Alters in Vitro Insulin Secretion from Islets of Fetal Wistar Rats J. Nutr., May 1, 2001; 131(5): 1555 - 1559. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				E. Bertin, M.-N. Gangnerau, D. Bailbe, and B. Portha Glucose metabolism and beta -cell mass in adult offspring of rats protein and/or energy restricted during the last week of pregnancy Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, July 1, 1999; 277(1): E11 - E17. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]