Non-Functioning Delta Cell Carcinoma of Pancreatic Islets

Abstract

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the identity, structure and function of delta cells of pancreatic islets. Williams states that the Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome is associated with neoplasms of delta cells and that these cells secrete gastrin. However, other functions have also been attributed to these cells. An excellent critical review on the identity, structure and possible function of delta cells has been published by Fujita. Clearly all new criteria for identification of delta cells must refer back to those given by Bloom in his original description in 1931.The present report deals with a malignant islet cell tumor of the pancreas in a case autopsied twelve hours after death. By light microscopy tumor cells possessed the classical tinctorial properties of delta cells; the tumor was thus classified as a delta cell carcinoma. Considerable confusion exists on the ultrastructural identification of delta cells in man. Hence, it was decided to investigate the fine structure of these tumor cells and to compare them to non-tumor islet cells of the same patient. To best interpret our results in post mortem material the pancreas of three patients autopsied at three, six and twelve hours after death were processed and studied in a similar manner as the pancreas bearing the tumor. By electron microscopy three types of islet cells could be identified in pancreas taken three hours post mortem.