Protein Producing Capacity of the Human Exocrine Pancreas

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Abstract
Protein production by the exocrine portion of the human pancreas was studied in 3 patients from whom pure pancreatic juice was collected. The incorporation rate of a labelled amino acid, S35 methionine, by pancreatic enzyme protein was compared to that by serum proteins in the same patients. Average specific activity of pancreatic juice proteins was 9 times that of serum proteins. In 1 patient the turnover time of pancreatic enzyme protein was almost 3 times faster than that of the serum proteins. The half life of pancreatic enzyme proteins in this patient was 3 days, compared to 8 days for serum proteins. These data suggest that pancreatic proteins are more rapidly metabolized than serum proteins. The pancreas is a metabolically active organ of protein synthesis in man just as it is in lower animals.