The Number of Islets of Langerhans in the Pancreas of the Albino Rat

Age changes in the canine pancreas: histomorphological, electron microscopic, and biochemical study

“…These differences may have contributed to the difference between the results obtained in this study and those of Hellman (1959a, c). Our analysis of islet volume (total hits/1210 possibilities) vs. age are in agreement with the findings of Overholser (1925).…”

“…He also reported a statistically significant correlation between total islet volume and body weight in most of the age groups. While Overholser (1925) reported that the maximum number of islets is reached in the 50 day old rat, with a reduction and leveling off at 90 to 150 days, both Hess and Root (1938) and Hellman Hellman (1959f) used a total of 20 islets from 3 rats in each age group. In the present study 10 islets per specimen were used, for a total of 30 islets in each of the small age groups.…”

Changes in the Islets of Langerhans Associated With Age and Hibernation

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THAT there are changes in the islets of Langerhans associated with age differences has been known for some time. In the very young rat the ratio of islet to acinar tissue is much higher than it is in the adult [Overholser, 1925;Hess and Root, 1938], while in the newborn child the concentration of insulin in the pancreas is higher than it is in the adult [Jorpes and Rastgeldi, 1953]. Moreover, because of the great relative increase in body weight, the ratio of islet tissue to total body weight diminishes with age in man [Ogilvie, 1937] as well as in the rat [Haist and Pugh, 1948].

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Modulation of the central melanocortin system by leptin, insulin, and serotonin: Co-ordinated actions in a dispersed neuronal network

“…was the first successfully injected with Banting and Best’s extract and almost completely corrected the signs of diabetes. Interestingly, it is estimated that the islets of langerhans constitute less than 3% of the pancreas, yet their partial or entire destruction results in diabetes mellitus (Elayat et al, 1995; Orci et al, 1976; Overholser, 1925). Later research showed that the beta cells (β-cells) within pancreatic islets of langerhans play a critical role in mammalian physiology by synthesizing and secreting insulin.…”