Morphological changes of the rats pancreas after the joint influence of the dosed normobaric hypoxia and melatonin

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the morphological changes in the rat's pancreas after the combined effect of dosed normobaric hypoxia (DNG) and melatonin. The study was carried out in the spring on 24 male rats of the Wistar line. The experimental animals were daily given a hypoxic gas mixture (12 % oxygen in nitrogen) in a intermittent mode: 15 minutes deoxygenation / 15 minutes reoxygenation for 2 hours. The same rats were daily administered orally with exogenous melatonin at 10.00 at a dose of 5 mg/kg. The duration of the experiment was 28 days. From the pancreas tissue, histological preparations were prepared according to a standard procedure. The morphometry was performed using the computer program "Image J". For the first time it was revealed that the 28-day combined effect of DNG and melatonin results in an increase in the size of the acinus, exocrine cells, epithelial height, and nucleolus hyperplasia in the pancreas. The change in these parameters may indicate activation of the exocrine function of the gland. The effect of intermittent hypoxia and melatonin also increase (to an insignificant extent) the activity of the endocrine part of the pancreas. This is evidenced by the large size of the Langerhans islets and the number of endocrinocytes placed in them. In the experimental animals was noted a decrease in the thickness of the interlobular and interacinus interlayers connective tissue, which can be considered as a manifestation of the mechanism of structural adaptation, which facilitates the transport of oxygen and nutrients to the parenchymal elements of the gland. The combined effect of DNG and melatonin has morphological signs of increased activity of exocrine and endocrine (to a lesser extent) parts of the pancreas.