EXPERIMENTAL PANCREATIC LESIONS - PATHOPH YSIOLOGIC CONCEPTS AND POTENTIAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES

Experimental pancreatic lesions can be induced by a number of differen t procedures, e.g. pancreatic hyperstimulation, intraductal applicatio n of bile acids, feeding choline deficient diet, obstruction of pancre atic duct, or reducing pancreatic blood flow. The pathogenetic mechani sms leading to pancreatic lesions include basolateral enzyme secretion , acinar cell polarisation defect, intracellular activation of proteas es, and the production of free radicals and other active metabolites. The importance of these individual mechanisms in the production and pr ogression of different experimentally-induced pancreatic lesions remai ns speculative. These pathogenetic concepts have inspired the study of a number of substances likely to protect the pancreas and prevent the pancreatic lesions. This paper gives an overview of the pathogenetic concepts of development of and protection against experimental pancrea tic lesions produced in animal models. Special mention has been made o f an animal model of pancreatic lesion produced by immunosuppressives.