Abstract
Reported here, is an investigation of changes in enzyme activities in the pancreatic islet cells (A-and B-cells) from Alloxan or Dithizone-induced diabetic rabbits.In order to identify each cell type on the section stained for enzyme activity, the “Serial Section Method” was applied as follows: Two serial cryostat sections of the tissue were prepared: One of the sections was stained with chrome-hematoxylin phloxin for cell identification and the other was stained with various stains for enzyme activity. Then, the microscopic findings on the two sections were carefully compared. In the stained normal islets, the G-6-PD, ACPase, ATPase, LD, DPND, and SD activities were found to be almost the same in both the A-and B-cells, while the G-6-Pase activity was found to be very strong in the B-cells, in sharp contrast to its very weak reactivity in the A-cells.
In the diabetic islets, the activities of G-6-PD, ACPase, and ATPase showed a distinct reduction in both the A-and the B-cells, especially in the latter.No definite changes in G-6-Pase activity in the B-cells were found, as the changes varied from islet to islet or from cell to cell. However, many of the B-cell showed a reduced activity, but those B-cells which were found to possess comparatively large nuclei, and therefore seemed to have been regenerating, presented a stronger enzyme activity than the cells, which were found to possess small (pycnotic) nuclei or show marked degenerative changes. The A-cells showed little G-6-Pase activity. Regarding the changes in the activities of LD, DPND, and SD, nothing striking was noted.
The results obtained above reveal the presence of a fairly good proportional relationship between the activity changes in the A-cells and those in the B-cells.
