A stereological investigation of the rat exocrine pancreas after long-term alcohol consumption
Abstract
A stereological analysis of the rat exocrine pancreas after 6 months of ethanol ingestion was carried out. Thirty male Wistar rats, aged two months at the beginning of the experiment, were divided into two groups. Both of them received a standard laboratory diet. The control group of animals was offered drinking water ad libitum. The experimental group of animals was drinking an ethanol solution. Weibel's multipurpose test system was used to determine the volume density of some exocrine pancreas components.
The results presented show that long-term alcohol ingestion decreased the relative density of the acini and increased the relative volume density of intralobular ducts, connective tissue fibres and artificial spaces. The mean radius of the acini was decreased, but the mean radius of the cell nuclei was increased.