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The pancreatic islets of the white-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii, during its annual cycle and under experimental conditions

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Summary

  1. 1.

    The organization of the pancreatic islets of Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii is generally similar to that of other avian species. There are dark islets, mixed islets, light islets, and occasionally isolated islet cells. The density of islet tissue is greatest in the splenic lohe. Dark islets, which include A- and D-cells, are of varying size. Light islets consist of a pericapillary layer of B-cells with a peripheral layer of D- and sometimes A-cells. Mixed islets contain varying amounts of light and dark elements.

  2. 2.

    A study on the behavior of the islet tissue under photoperiodic treatment and during the annual cycle has shown that (a) A-, B- and D-cells show almost always parallel activity, that (b) there are no distinct seasonal changes in the activity of the pancreatic islets in freeliving animals taken in breeding grounds and in wintering area, that (c) islet activity, by cytologic criteria, is generally high, and that (d) activity in birds kept in captivity under artificially long or short days shows no correlation with photoperiod although there was more pronounced individual variation of islet activity than in free living animals.

  3. 3.

    No correlation between islet activity and degree of fat deposition under either natural conditions or artificial photostimulation could be found.

  4. 4.

    Injection of dithizone or ammonium-alcohol resulted in stimulation of the dark islets and sometimes in degeneration of B-cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoologisches Institut Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland

    August Epple & Donald S. Farner

  2. Laboratories of Zoophysiology, Washington State University, Pullman

    August Epple & Donald S. Farner

  3. Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle

    August Epple & Donald S. Farner

Authors
  1. August Epple
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  2. Donald S. Farner
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Additional information

Supported by research grants (G9872, BG1380, BG4433) from the National Science Foundation to Professor Farner and by a scholarship from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to Doctor Epple. We are indebted to Doctor James R. King for collection of some of the specimens and for suggestions concerning the manuscript.

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Epple, A., Farner, D.S. The pancreatic islets of the white-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii, during its annual cycle and under experimental conditions. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 79, 185–197 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00369284

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