[Isolated exocrine pancreas cells--a model for the study of the pathogenesis of experimental acute pancreatitis]

Abstract

For elucidation of the very initial phases of pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis an evaluation of the cellular metabolism may be an important question. Therefore we isolated acinar cells from guinea pig and studied them at morphological and biochemical levels. Generally, the cells maintained their typical arrangement of the enzyme granules in the apical region during isolation procedure. The measurement of the parameters of cellular energy metabolism was regarded as essential for determination of functional intactness of the pancreocytes. To this end oxygraphic and fluorescence microscopic methods were applied. The results show that the hydrogen supply of isolated acinar cells can be remarkably improved by addition of glucose or 80 mM succinate which was sensitively recorded by fluorescence microscopic measurement of rhodamine accumulation. The difference between maximal fluorescence and minimal one at excess dinitrophenol can be used as measure for evaluation of the energy state of isolated pancreatic acinar cells.