Glucagon- and insulin-immunopositive endocrine cells in porcine extrahepatic bile ducts and gallbladder

Ivaylo Stefanov Stefanov; Stefan Ivaylov Stefanov; Maya Vladova Gulubova

doi:10.3389/fvets.2023.1240143

Glucagon- and insulin-immunopositive endocrine cells in porcine extrahepatic bile ducts and gallbladder

Front Vet Sci. 2023 Nov 29:10:1240143. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1240143. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Ivaylo Stefanov Stefanov^{1

2}, Stefan Ivaylov Stefanov³, Maya Vladova Gulubova^{2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anantomy, Medical Faculty, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
² Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Pathology, Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov University, Burgas, Bulgaria.
³ Medical Faculty, Sixth Year Student, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
⁴ Department of General and Clinical Pathology, Medical Faculty, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.

Abstract

Introduction: Pancreatic β-cells and α-cells have been found in the murine extrahepatic biliary ducts but not in the gallbladder. However, there has been no information reported in the specialized literature about the presence of glucagon- and insulin-expressing endocrine cells in porcine bile ducts and gallbladder.

Aim: We aimed to perform an immunohistochemical study to identify glucagon- and insulin-positive cells and their distribution in the porcine extrahepatic biliary ducts and gallbladder.

Method: The immunohistochemical method was used to detect the presence and distribution of glucagon- and insulin-positive endocrine cells in the common hepatic duct (ductus hepaticus communis), common bile duct (ductus choledochus), cystic duct (ductus cysticus), and gallbladder (vesica fellea) of male pigs. Chromogranin A was used as a typical marker for endocrine cells.

Results: The density of chromogranin A-, glucagon- and insulin-positive cells per field was the largest in the common bile duct, followed by the common hepatic duct, cystic duct, and gallbladder. The three types of endocrine cells showed specific localization in the superficial and deep glands of the studied organs.

Conclusion and clinical importance: The distribution of glucagon- and insulin-immunopositive endocrine cells in the porcine extrahepatic biliary tract was established for the first time as a new source of these hormones. The presence of α- and β-cells in the epithelium of extrahepatic bile ducts can be applied in treatment of diabetes, taking into account the possibility to reprogram the biliary epithelium to mentioned pancreatic endocrine cell types.

Keywords: bile ducts; endocrine cells; gallbladder; glucagon; insulin; pig.

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science (MES) in the frames of the Bulgarian National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Component “Innovative Bulgaria,” project no. BG-RRP-2.004-0006-C02 “Development of research and innovation at Trakia University in service of health and sustainable well-being”.