Transplantation of purified islet cells in diabetic rats. I. Standardization of islet cell grafts.

A standardized procedure was developed for the preparation of rat islet cell grafts with selected cell number and composition. After collagenase digestion of pancreases and elutriation of tissue fragments, islets were isolated and dissociated, and cells were purified by autofluorescence-activated cell sorting. Approximately 30% of the initial beta-cell mass was lost during digestion and elimination of small mostly exocrine particles.

Metastasizing neuroendocrine carcinoma of the larynx with calcitonin and somatostatin secretion and CEA production, resembling medullary thyroid carcinoma.

A 55-year-old man presented with a metastasizing moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the larynx (atypical carcinoid). Immunocytochemical demonstration of neuroendocrine markers (neuron-specific enolase and chromogranin-A) and presence of membrane-bound neurosecretory granules in the cells established the neuroendocrine nature of the tumour. In addition, the tumour was found to produce calcitonin, somatostatin and carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA).

Diffuse and focal nesidioblastosis. A clinicopathological study of 24 patients with persistent neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia.

The morphological abnormalities of the endocrine pancreas that underlie persistent neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (PNHH) and are included under the heading "nesidioblastosis" appear to be heterogeneous. We studied pancreatic specimens of 24 patients by light microscopy and immunocytochemistry in order to classify the changes of the endocrine pancreas and relate them to the therapy applied. Two main forms of nesidioblastosis were recognized: a focal and a diffuse type.

Ontogeny of hormone-secreting cells of the rat pituitary gland: an immunocytochemical study on dissociated cells.

An immunocytochemical study was undertaken in foetal, prepubertal and mature rats to determine the time of differentiation of various types of adenohypophyseal cells during development. Freshly dissociated pituitary cells from foetal (18-21 days postconception), neonatal (from birth up to 30 days) and adult rats (more than 8 weeks) were characterized using immunocytochemical methods. All types of hormone-producing cells were present at day 18 postconception, although only 20% of the cells were immunolabelled.

[Evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic methods in hyperinsulinism in newborn infants and infants. Apropos of a retrospective study of 26 cases].

This report concerns 26 cases of hyperinsulinism in neonates and infants. Clinically, the syndrome beginning in the neonatal period seems to differ by several aspects from the disease with a later onset: diagnostic difficulties, treatment modalities and long term prognosis. Insulinemia determined when the patient presents with hypoglycemia is often (75 to 80% of cases) normal.