Fig. 7. In vivo zymogen granule depletion and morphological effects of chlorate and BzlGalNAc after in vitro zymogen granule repletion. Mice were injected with the cholinergic agonist pilocarpine (10 µg/g body weight). After 1 hour, the pancreas was removed, lobules were prepared and incubated in vitro for 4 hours in buffer supplemented with 30 mM NaCl, 30 mM sodium chlorate, 2% DMSO or 32 mM BzlGalNAc. The tissue was then prepared for light level and electron microscopy.

(A) Untreated pancreas; (B) pancreas 1 hour after pilocarpine injection; (C,E) 30 mM NaCl; (D,F) 30 mM sodium chlorate; (G,I) 2% DMSO; (H,J) 32 mM BzlGalNAc. Note that the cells are generally healthy with intact plasma membranes and normal appearing nuclei under all conditions (C,D,G,H) and that they recover from the slight dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum that occurs after pilocarpine depletion of zymogen granules (B).

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