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Abstract
The pancreas is a complex organ comprised of three critical cell lineages: islet (endocrine), acinar, and ductal. This review will focus upon recent insights and advances in the biology of pancreatic ductal cells. In particular, emphasis will be placed upon the regulation of ductal cells by specific transcriptional factors during development as well as the underpinnings of acinar-ductal metaplasia as an important adaptive response during injury and regeneration. We also address the potential contributions of ductal cells to neoplastic transformation, specifically in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Authors
Maximilian Reichert, Anil K. Rustgi
Figure 1
Anatomical organization of the pancreatic ductal tree.
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(A ) Centroacinar cells are terminal end duct cells that interface with acini (white arrowhead; scale bar: 10 μm). (B ) Terminal ducts or intercalated ducts (dotted line), respectively, are composed of flat epithelia and merge into intralobular ducts (white arrowhead) that are lined by cuboidal epithelia (scale bar: 10 μm). (C ) Intralobular ducts merge to form small interlobular ducts surrounded by mesenchyme (scale bar: 10 μm). (D ) Larger interlobular ducts are lined by columnar epithelia (scale bar: 10 μm). (E ) Some key acinar, ductal, and endocrine cell transcription factors are depicted (see refs. 4 , 6 ).
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