Morphological aspects of the pancreas in the rat and the rabbit: an investigation into the location, ducts, arteries and veins

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine both the location of the pancreatic duct and the anatomical variation in the pancreatic ducts of rat and rabbit. Following administration of ether anesthesia, the abdomens were opened. Catheters were placed in the ileocolic vein, junction of the duodenum and jejunum, and into the aorta. All arteries, veins and pancreatic ducts were filled with red, blue and white dyed latex, respectively. The rat pancreas was consisted of three lobes, while the rabbit pancreas was consisted of two lobes. The rat pancreas also involved a diffuse gland situated in the gastrolienal ligament and mesoduodenum. In the rat the ducts of the pancreas opened the biliaropancreatic duct and originated from the biliaropancreatic duct on different sides. The ducts that were in the right side of the biliaropancreatic duct open from origin the biliaropancreatic duct were measurements approximately 8.09+2.65 mm and left side 7.32+3.61 mm. The rabbit pancreas included a diffuse gland situated among the liver, stomach and duodenum. In the rabbit, the duct of the pancreas (pancreatic duct) entered the duodenum approximately 51.52+3.23cm distal to the pylorus. In contrast to the report of Bunting & Jones19 that found that the pancreatic duct opened to the duodenum and 25-27cm away from (distal part) the pylorus in rabbit, the present authors found the pancreatic duct to be very long,measuring 46.33-57.17cm in our study.