Comparison of growth and development of the exocrine pancreas in pigs and rats during the immediate postnatal period

Abstract This study compared pancreatic tissue growth and functional changes during the first 3 postnatal days in piglets and rat pups. In piglets the absolute weight and the relative weight per unit body weight of the pancreas increased by 97 and 70%, respectively, while in rat pups the same parameters decreased by 33 and 48%, respectively, during this period. The specific activity of pancreatic amylase rose by 336% while that of trypsin, chymotrypsin and lipase remained at newborn level in piglets. In rat pups the specific activities of all enzymes measured declined by 61 to 92% during the first 3 postnatal days. The rate of postnatal pancreatic growth in the two species coincide with the levels of epidermal growth factor and insulin-like growth factors in maternal milk as reported in the literature, suggesting that milk-borne growth factors may stimulate pancreatic development in newborn animals.