Determination of the residual b-cell mass using noninvasive tools might help to follow up the efficacy of new treatments in both type 1 (insulin-dependent) and type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, including islet transplantation. b-cells are neuroendocrine cells that can take up and metabolize the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan. The serotonin pathway may therefore be an attractive target for the development of an imaging tracer for residual b-cell mass. The aim of this study was to evaluate the uptake mechanism and the retention of the PET tracer 11 C-hydroxytryptophan in endocrine and exocrine pancreas in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The exocrine human pancreas carcinoma cell line (PANC-1) and the endocrine human insulinoma cell line (CM) were applied for in vitro 11 Chydroxytryptophan accumulation/efflux experiments and blocking studies using inhibitors of key enzymes and transporters involved in the serotonin pathway. Animal experiments were performed on normal Wistar rats and on rats pretreated with the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor clorgyline. After intravenous injection of 11 C-hydroxytryptophan, a 60-min dynamic PET scan was acquired followed by an ex vivo biodistribution study. Autoradiography and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed on the dissected pancreas to localize the radioactivity within the pancreatic tissue. Results: 11 C-hydroxytryptophan accumulated rapidly in both endocrine CM cells and exocrine PANC-1 cells. In the exocrine cells, a rapid efflux of radioactivity was observed, whereas most radioactivity remained trapped in the endocrine cells. PET images showed clear accumulation of 11 C-hydroxytryptophan in the pancreas in both animal groups, but with a significant 3-fold higher retention of the radiopharmaceutical in clorgyline-treated animals. Ex vivo biodistribution studies confirmed the results obtained by PET. Autoradiographs did not discriminate between the exocrine and endocrine pancreas in control animals, whereas autoradiographs showed intense radioactive spots colocalized with the islets of Langerhans in clorgyline-treated animals. The islets of Langerhans represent only 2%-3% of the total pancreas and consist of about 80% b-cells. In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, dysregulation of glucose homeostasis and b-cell function and loss of b-cells are responsible of hyperglycemia (1). b-cells are neuroendocrine cells arising from precursor cells of the embryologic neural crest (2,3). Pancreatic b-cells regulate a large variety of body functions through paracrine and endocrine actions via dedicated amines and peptides, including the neurotransmitter serotonin. As a consequence, b-cells have an efficient mechanism for the uptake and metabolism of the amine precursors L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and 5-hydroxytryptophan through specific receptors (4,5).5-hydroxytryptophan and its precursor tryptophan are taken up in b-cells by the L-type amino acid transporter (LAT). Tryptophan is converted to 5-hydroxytryptophan by tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH). Subsequently,...