Microscopic Studies on Islets of Langerhans of Pancreas of Adult Albino Rat

Abstract

The pancreas of rat was an encapsulated, lobulated compound tubuloacinar gland consisting of exocrine and endocrine parts. The endocrine part contained islets of different sizes and they were embedded within the exocrine tissue of pancreas. Three different types of islets viz., small, medium and large sized were noted. The
islets were consisted of alpha, beta, delta, and pancreatic polypeptide cells. The alpha and pancreatic polypeptide cells occupied peripheral region in the islet, whereas beta cells were placed deeply in the islets. But delta cells were distributed randomly throughout the islets and they were long, flattened, and irregular in shape and characterized by the presence of small granules.