Biomaterial Database

Exocrine pancreas under experimental conditions. IV. Alterations of intercellular junctions between acinar cells following pancreatic duct ligation. 1978

J Metz, and M Merlo, and H Billich, and W G Forssmann

Exocrine pancreatic tissue was investigated during various intervals after pancreatic duct ligation. Concomitant to the increase of the intraluminal pressure, alterations are found in the arrangement of the luminal membrane surface and the zonulae occludentes of the acinar cells. The zonulae occludentes exhibit a disarrangement of their strands. The number of strands diminishes and small interruptions as well as large discontinuities of the strands are observed in most regions of the acinar cells. Furthermore, gap junctions are found very infrequently between acinar cells. The ultrastructural alterations of the zonulae occludentes suggest a gradual adaptation to the increasing unilateral pressure. However, a leakage of the paracellular permeability barrier occurs which contributes to the known shunt between the compartments of the pancreatic juice and the interstitial space following pancreatic duct obstruction. The present investigation is a further example of alterations in the paracellular permeability and intercellular communication of epithelial cells under pathological conditions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007365	Intercellular Junctions	Direct contact of a cell with a neighboring cell. Most such junctions are too small to be resolved by light microscopy, but they can be visualized by conventional or freeze-fracture electron microscopy, both of which show that the interacting CELL MEMBRANE and often the underlying CYTOPLASM and the intervening EXTRACELLULAR SPACE are highly specialized in these regions. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p792)	Cell Junctions,Cell Junction,Intercellular Junction,Junction, Cell,Junction, Intercellular,Junctions, Cell,Junctions, Intercellular
D008026	Ligation	Application of a ligature to tie a vessel or strangulate a part.	Ligature,Ligations,Ligatures
D008297	Male		Males
D010179	Pancreas	A nodular organ in the ABDOMEN that contains a mixture of ENDOCRINE GLANDS and EXOCRINE GLANDS. The small endocrine portion consists of the ISLETS OF LANGERHANS secreting a number of hormones into the blood stream. The large exocrine portion (EXOCRINE PANCREAS) is a compound acinar gland that secretes several digestive enzymes into the pancreatic ductal system that empties into the DUODENUM.
D010183	Pancreatic Ducts	Ducts that collect PANCREATIC JUICE from the PANCREAS and supply it to the DUODENUM.	Duct of Santorini,Duct of Wirsung,Duodenal Papilla, Minor,Wirsung's Duct,Accessory Pancreatic Duct,Accessory Pancreatic Duct of Santorini,Main Pancreatic Duct,Santorini's Duct,Accessory Pancreatic Ducts,Duct, Accessory Pancreatic,Duct, Main Pancreatic,Duct, Pancreatic,Duct, Santorini's,Duct, Wirsung's,Ducts, Pancreatic,Main Pancreatic Ducts,Minor Duodenal Papilla,Minor Duodenal Papillas,Pancreatic Duct,Pancreatic Duct, Accessory,Pancreatic Duct, Main,Pancreatic Ducts, Accessory,Papilla, Minor Duodenal,Santorini Duct,Wirsung Duct,Wirsungs Duct
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D002463	Cell Membrane Permeability	A quality of cell membranes which permits the passage of solvents and solutes into and out of cells.	Permeability, Cell Membrane
D004848	Epithelium	The layers of EPITHELIAL CELLS which cover the inner and outer surfaces of the cutaneous, mucus, and serous tissues and glands of the body.	Mesothelium,Epithelial Tissue,Mesothelial Tissue,Epithelial Tissues,Mesothelial Tissues,Tissue, Epithelial,Tissue, Mesothelial,Tissues, Epithelial,Tissues, Mesothelial
D005614	Freeze Fracturing	Preparation for electron microscopy of minute replicas of exposed surfaces of the cell which have been ruptured in the frozen state. The specimen is frozen, then cleaved under high vacuum at the same temperature. The exposed surface is shadowed with carbon and platinum and coated with carbon to obtain a carbon replica.	Fracturing, Freeze,Fracturings, Freeze,Freeze Fracturings
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia