The present study was designed to investigate the changes in num-ber and secretory activity of the islet cells following 65% and 32% partial hepatectomy in adult fe-male rats.Specimens of the panc-reatic tail were taken and stained with Aldehyde-fuchsin,Grimelius method and Hellerstrom-Hellman's method respectively in order to demonstrate B、 A and D cells The changes of secretory activity were judged by the stain intensity and number of secretory granules of different types of islet ceils. The results were as follows: 1.The number of B、A、 D cells of Langerhans islet did not show significant changes 2.After 1 or 2,days of 65% partial hepatectomy,the secretory activity of B cells declined and A ceils enhanced slightly.3days after the operation,the secretory activity of B cells increased appa-rantly,that of A cells enhanced continuously,that of D cells rem-ained at normal level.7 days after the operation,the secretory activity of B cells declined markedly, until 14 days,the secretory acti-vity did not recover to normal yet. During this period,the secretory activity of A ceils still increased, and that of D cells also raised 3.After 32% partial hepatecto-my,the changes in secretory activity of islet cells were basica-lly similar to that mentioned abo-ve,merely the changes were rel-atively mild,and its course was short.Among three types of islet cells,the changes of B cell we-re the most prominant. 4.The changes of islet ceils were closely related with the rege-nerating process of the liver.The changes of B cell seemed to be directly related to liver regenera-tion,A and D cell may coordin-ated with B cell.
