Biphasic Development of the Postnatal Mouse Pancreas

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Abstract
Conventional biochemical and histological methods along with DNA flow-cytometric analysis were used (1) to define development of the mouse pancreas from birth to day 90 and (2) to provide information critical for studies on isolated islets and their component cells. Pancreas development in the mouse followed a biphasic pattern. Phase one extended from birth through day 15 and was dominated by proliferation and growth of endocrine cells as most islets attained adult form by day 15. Phase two, from day 15 through 30, was dominated by proliferation and growth of exocrine cells which became maximal by day 20. These data provide evidence suggesting that the optimum age for islet isolation is toward the end of phase one and before phase two, between days 10 and 15, and the optimum age for isolation of endocrine cells for proliferation and growth in culture is during the early part of phase one before most islets have attained adult form, between days 5 and 9.