MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE PANCREAS IN HUMAN FETUS / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Pancreas of 53 aborted fetuses ranging from 5 to 41 weeks were fixed in Bouin's fluid and embedded in paraffin, and the sections were stained with Alcian bluephloxine and Grimelius silver technique. The A, B and D cell of islet of Langerhans were demonstrated with immunohistochemical PAP method also. 14 pancreas among them were fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde and embedded in Epon 812, and observed with TEM. Typical A, B and D islet cells were observed with LM at 12 weeks of fetal age. Undifferentiated, differentiated and degenerated cells were distinguished in the pancreatic islets at 14 to 41 weeks of fetal age. The secretory granules of the exoerine cells were observed after 14 weeks of fetal age. The functional differentiation of endocrine cells precede that of exocrine cells. The morphometrical measurement testified that the endocrine portion of fetal pancreas was obviously larger than that of adult. This study provides some morphological data for the pancreas transplantation in clinical medicine.