Changes in the number and distribution of acinar cells in rat parotid gland during atrophy process / 实用口腔医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the changes of acinar cells during atrophy of rat duct-ligated parotid gland.Methods:The ex-cretory duct of parotid gland was doubly ligated with metal-clip unilaterally near the hilum,and the animals were sacrificed at 0,1 , 3,5,7,1 0,1 4,21 or 30 days after ligation respectively.The evolving glands were examined with HE and AB-PAS staining tech-nique and immunohistochemistry for the observation of caspase3,Ki-67,calponin and amylase expression.Results:30-days after ligation,the majority of acinar cells were disappeared;only residual acinar cells at the peripheral region of lobules were identified by HE and AB-PAS staining accompanying decreasing zymogen granules.During the atrophy of parotid glands,the caspase3-positive cells identified by immunohistochemistry were rarely observed at 0 d,but the cell number increased in the following days.There were occasional Ki-67 positive cells in the 0 d group,but after 3-days of the ligation Ki-67 positive cells reached a peak.The difference of the caspase3-positive cell number and the Ki-67 positive cells were statistically significant among the groups(P <0.05).Conclu-sionDuring atrophy of the parotid gland,most acinar cells apoptosed but there are still some residual acinar cells at the perip-heral region of lobules 30 days after duct-ligation.