Figure 2. Photomicrographs depicting the histopathology of rat pancreas.
(a) Pancreas from a rat after sham surgery. (b-d) Pancreas from animals with dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC)-induced pancreatitis treated with the following: (b) vehicle as vector control, (c) HSV-β-gal, or (d) HSV-ENK. Note the inflammatory cell infiltration, acinar cell atrophy, widened inter- and intra-lobular ducts, tissue edema and extensive periductal fibrosis seen in DTBC-induced pancreatitis with vehicle or HSV-β-gal applications, compared to reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and to preservation of pancreatic tissue architecture in the DTBC and HSV-ENK treated rats. ENK, enkephalin; H&E, hemotoxylin and eosin stain; HSV, herpes simplex virus.