Summary
The pancreas of birds is a suitable object for studying the A and B cells separately, since the two cell systems are topografically almost entirely segregated in the form of light (= B cells) and dark (= A cells) islets of Langerhans.
On the whole in the chicken and duck the actual distribution of the light islets into different size classes followed the same regular pattern previously found in the rat and man. In the body of the pancreas, containing the great majority of islets, the volume distribution curves thus appeared symmetrical.
With the silver impregnation method used a distinct argyrophil reaction in both types of islets was obtained on paraffin sections of the pancreas. According to the presence or absence of blackening, the cells of the dark islets could be divided into two distinct fractions. Especially in the duck the silver-positive cells were grouped in a characteristic way along the walls of the capillaries. Ducks and chickens are not the only animals in which it is possible to identify an argyrophil fraction in what the usual granule stains had shown to be A cells. Parallel studies of various mammals are in complete agreement with these observations. It is, however, still uncertain whether we are here dealing with differences in function, age etc. in one and the same type of cell or with two completely different kinds. No correlation between the argyrophil reaction in the dark islet cells and their content of SH and SS groups or tryptophane could be established.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bahr, G. F.: Changes in liver cell elements during stimulated protein synthesis. Acta radiol. (Stockh.) Suppl. 147 (1957).
Baker, J. R.: Principles of biological microtechnique. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd. 1958.
Barrnett, R. J., R. B.Marshall and A. M.Seligman: Histochemical demonstration of insulin in the islets of Langerhans. Endocrinology57, 419–438 (1955).
Campenhout, E.Van, et G.Cornelis: Les ilôts endocrines du pancreas des oiseaux. C. R. Ass. Anat.79, 462–466 (1954).
Duve, C.De: Internal secretions of the pancreas. Ciba Found. Coll. Endocrinol.9, 87 (1956).
Ferner, H.: Die Dissemination der Hodenzwischenzellen und der Langerhansschen Inseln als funktionelles Prinzip für die Samenkanälchen und das exokrine Pankreas. Z. mikr.anat. Forsch63, 35–52 (1957).
Hellerström, C., andB. Hellman: To be published 1960.
Hellman, B.: Effects of ageing on the volumetric distribution of the islet tissue in the rat. Acta endocr. (Kbh.)31, 91–106 (1959a).
Hellman, B.: The numerical distribution of the islets of Langerhans at different ages of the rat. Acta endocr. (Kbh.)32, 63–77 (1959b).
Hellman, B.: The frequency distribution of the number and volume of the islets of Langerhans in man. 1. Studies on non-diabetic adults. Acta Soc. Med. upsalien.64, 432–460 (1959c).
Hellman, B.: Actual distribution of the number and volume of the islets of Langerhans in different size classes in non-diabetic humans of varying ages. Nature (Lond.)184, 1498 bis 1499 (1959d).
Hellman, B.: Methodological aspects on the differential cell count of the islet tissue in the rat. Acta path. microbiol. scand.45, 336–346 (1959e).
Levine, H. J., and G. G.Glenner: Observations on tryptophan staining of the pancreatic alpha cells. J. nat. Cancer Inst.20, 63–68 (1958).
Lillie, R. D.: Histopathologic technic and practical histochemistry. New York: Blakiston Co. Inc. 1954.
Mialhe, P.: Glucagon, insuline et regulation endocrine de la glycémie chez le canard. Acta endocr. (Kbh.) Suppl.36, 1958.
Müller, I., W.nRunge u. H.Ferner: Cytologie und Gefäßverhältnisse des Inselorgans bei der Ente. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch.62, 165–186 (1956).
Nagelschmidt, L.: Untersuchungen über die Langerhansschen Inseln der Bauchspeicheldrüse bei den Vögeln. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch.45, 200–232 (1939).
Oakberg, E. F.: Quantitative studies of pancreas and islands of Langerhans in relation to age, sex and body weight in white Leghorn chickens. Amer. J. Anat.84, 279–310 (1949).
Romeis, B.: Mikroskopische Technik. München: Leibniz 1948.
Runge, W., I.Müller u. H.Ferner: Der Zinknachweis in den A-Zellen und B-Zellen des Inselorgans bei der Ente. Z. Zellforsch.44, 208–218 (1956).
Wicksell, S. D.: The corpuscle problem. 1. Case of spherical corpuscles. Biometrika17, 84–99 (1925).
Wicksell, S. D.: The corpuscle problem. 11. Case of ellipsoidal corpuscles. Biometrika18, 151–172 (1926).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was aided by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hellman, B., Hellerström, C. The islets of Langerhans in ducks and chickens with special reference to the argyrophil reaction. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 52, 278–290 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00338985
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00338985