Abstract
As a part of the investigations on the effects of the X-ray irradiation on the digestive organs, its effects on the pancreas were studied. The X-ray was irradiated on the epigastrium or on the hypogastrium-thighs region of rats, a single dose being 500r and a daily dose being 100r for 5 days. The diet was given 1hr. after the irradiation. The pancreas was taken and observed histocytologically before and 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 6hrs. after the diet. The results obtained may be summarized as follows.
1. The production of the zymogen granules in the pancreatic cells is extremely curtailed regardless of the dose and the area irradiated.
2. The discharge of the zymogen granules from the pancreatic cells is lowered remarkably after the irradiation on the epigastrium. It is less lowered after the irradiation on the hypogastrium-thighs.
3. When the protective agents against the X-ray injuries are injected into the abdominal cavity prior to the X-ray irradiation, the secretory activity of the pancreatic cells remains almost unchanged. The protective effect of thioctic acid and 100mg/kg 5-oxy-anthranilic acid on the production of zymogen granules, and the effect of thioctic acid on the discharge of them are easily discernible.
4. Binucleate pancreatic cells increase after the irradiation. They increase 6-8.5 times in case of the irradiation on the epigastrium, 4 times in case of the hypogastrium-thighs region and 1.6-2.8 times in case of the injection of protective agents prior to the irradiation on the epigastrium. The number of binucleate cells decreases in proportion to the increase of the secretory activity of the pancreatic cells.
