Duct ligation and pancreatic islet blood flow in rats:: physiological growth of islets does not affect islet blood perfusion

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate islet blood-flow changes during stimulated growth of the islet organ without any associated functional impairment of islet function. Design: A duct ligation encompassing the distal two-thirds of the pancreas was performed in adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: Pancreatic islet blood flow was measured in duct-ligated and sham-operated rats 1, 2 or 4 weeks after surgery. In some animals studied 4 weeks after surgery, islet blood flow was also measured also during hyperglycacmic conditions. Results: A marked atrophy of the exocrine pancreas was seen in all duct-ligated rats. Blood glucose and serum insulin concentrations were normal. An increased islet mass was only seen 4 weeks after surgery. No differences in islet blood perfusion were noted at any time point after duct ligation. In both sham-operated and duct-ligated rats islet blood flow was increased during hyperglycacmia; the response was, however, slightly more pronounced in the duct-ligated part of the gland. Conclusions: Normal, physiological islet growth does not cause any major changes in the islet blood perfusion or its regulation. This is in contrast to findings during increased functional demands on the islets or during deteriorated islet function, when increased islet blood flow is consistently seen.