J. Wallon

Cell populations in the endocrine pancreas of human neonates and infants.

SummaryPancreases from normoglycaemic neonates (<15 days), infants (6 months) and adults were examined using immunoperoxidase techniques. Sections taken from five regions of the gland were analysed by morphometry. The volume density of total endocrine tissue was found to be higher than previously reported: 15% in neonates, 6–7% in infants and 2–3% in adults. In neonates, many endocrine cells were located in small clusters, sometimes budding from ducts, and up to 15% were isolated in ducts and acini. Similar clusters were still present, though less frequent, in infants. The relative proportion of all cell types varied only slightly between the different regions, except in the posterior part of the head, which comprised 90% of all PP(polypeptide) cells. With age, the proportion of somatostatin cells decreased (from about 30% in neonates to about 10% in adults), that of insulin cells increased (50 to 70%) and that of glucagon cells remained stable (20%). In the posterior part of the head, the proportion of PP cells tended to be higher in adults than in neonates or infants. This study shows that both the endocrine cell populations and the proportion of endocrine tissue in the pancreas change markedly in early life. It also suggests that “nesidioblastosis” is a normal feature of the pancreas of normoglycaemic neonates and young infants.

Localization of pancreatic polypeptide cells in a limited lobe of the human neonate pancreas: Remnant of the ventral primordium?

SummaryThe localization of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) cells was studied in the pancreas of four human neonates by specific immunocytochemical techniques. PP cells were detected in all parts of the pancreas. However, examination at low magnification showed that they were considerably more numerous in a small lobe, located at the posterior-inferior part of the head region. It is suggested that this lobe corresponds to the part of the pancreas that is derived from the ventral primordium. Both in the lobe rich in PP cells and in the remainder of the pancreas, approximately 75% of PP cells were present in the islets and 25% distributed among acini and ducts.

Breast cancer detection by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry

Fourier transform infrared spectra of 75 biopsies from 55 cases of breast carcinoma were studied in comparison with histo-morphometry. The spectra of carcinomatous tissues are very different from those of normal tissues. There are evident correlations between the intensity of some infrared absorption bands and the volume density of malignant cells measured by optical microscopy [7]. Very high correlation coefficients are observed for phosphate monoester and phosphodiester bands; significant correlation coefficients are also observed for amide I and II bands.

Abundance of somatostatin cells in the human neonatal pancreas.

SummaryPancreatic somatostatin cells have been studied in human neonates and adults using an immunoperoxidase technique. Their volume density in the head, isthmus, corpus and tail of the gland has been estimated by morphometry. Somatostatin cells were about 20 times more frequent in the neonate (5% of all pancreatic cells) than in the adult (0.23%). Their distribution between the different zones of the pancreas showed few differences except for the lobe of the head rich in PP cells, where the volume density of somatostatin cells was 40% lower.

Identification of Breast Carcinomatous Tissue By Near-infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

NIR reflectance spectra of 110 cryostat sections of carcinomatous tissue and 114 cryostat sections of normal surrounding fibro-glandular tissue from 10 cases of breast cancer, identified by a classical pathology method, were scanned between 1100 and 2500 nm by a grating spectrometer in reflectance mode. Four wavelength intervals (1208–1242, 1746–1788, 2012–2048 and 2326–2368 nm) were found to be different for normal and carcinomatous tissues. In each interval, the second-derivative spectra of normal tissue showed a similar pattern with several characteristic peaks. In order to test the capacity of NIR spectroscopy in discriminating between normal and carcinomatous breast samples, 104 tissue sections from five additional cases were scanned prior to microscopic examination. The diagnostic prediction of NIR spectroscopy coincided exactly with the histology diagnosis for all the samples. Moreover, the presence of even a minute quantity of cancer infiltration can be detected by NIR spectroscopy, in total accordance with the microscopical observation. Therefore, the results of our experiments allow us to consider that NIR spectroscopy might become, with feasible improvements, an accurate, rapid, and reliable method for detecting breast cancer.

Long cytoplasmic processes in pancreatic polypeptide cells.

SummaryPancreatic polypeptide (PP) cells were studied in human endocrine pancreatic tumours and in normal human pancreata by immunohistochemical techniques and electron microscopy. The existence of long cytoplasmic processes was demonstrated both in tumours and normal tissue. These processes are in close contact with other endocrine cells or with acinar cells. This particular morphological aspect suggests that PP cells may control the function of other cells via paracrine secretion.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a case report.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were each separately described in association with a variety of chronic idiopathic inflammatory diseases such as retroperitoneal fibrosis, Sicca complex or Riedels thyroiditis. We report a case which may be the first description of the association between PSC and IPF. The physiopathogenic implications of such an association are discussed.