TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic background determines the size and structure of the endocrine pancreas
AU - Bock, Troels
AU - Pakkenberg, Bente
AU - Buschard, Karsten
PY - 2005/1
Y1 - 2005/1
N2 - Key parameters of the endocrine pancreas, such as islet number, islet mass, beta-cell mass, and alpha-cell mass, were studied in different strains of inbred mice to investigate the impact of genetic background on the size and structure of the endocrine pancreas. Six mice from each of seven different strains of inbred mice were included in the study. For all parameters investigated, there was a pronounced interstrain variation. ANCOVA showed that only mouse strain was statistically significant as an explanatory parameter for the number of islets. Mouse strain, body weight, and pancreas mass reached statistical significance as explanatory parameters for the islet mass, with mouse strain as the most significant predictor. These data show that genetic background is the most important predictor of both the number of islets and total islet volume. We also conclude that inbred mice could be a valuable resource to identify the genes responsible for the size and structure of the endocrine pancreas.
AB - Key parameters of the endocrine pancreas, such as islet number, islet mass, beta-cell mass, and alpha-cell mass, were studied in different strains of inbred mice to investigate the impact of genetic background on the size and structure of the endocrine pancreas. Six mice from each of seven different strains of inbred mice were included in the study. For all parameters investigated, there was a pronounced interstrain variation. ANCOVA showed that only mouse strain was statistically significant as an explanatory parameter for the number of islets. Mouse strain, body weight, and pancreas mass reached statistical significance as explanatory parameters for the islet mass, with mouse strain as the most significant predictor. These data show that genetic background is the most important predictor of both the number of islets and total islet volume. We also conclude that inbred mice could be a valuable resource to identify the genes responsible for the size and structure of the endocrine pancreas.
KW - Analysis of Variance
KW - Animals
KW - Islets of Langerhans/anatomy & histology
KW - Male
KW - Mice
KW - Mice, Inbred Strains/anatomy & histology
KW - Organ Size
KW - Pancreas/anatomy & histology
U2 - 10.2337/diabetes.54.1.133
DO - 10.2337/diabetes.54.1.133
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 15616020
SN - 0012-1797
VL - 54
SP - 133
EP - 137
JO - Diabetes
JF - Diabetes
IS - 1
ER -