Figure 5.

Reduced autophagosome formation in the pancreases of cerulein-treated IL-22TG mice. WT and IL-22TG mice received seven cerulein or PBS injections and were sacrificed one hour after the last injection. Pancreases were collected for immunohistochemical or electron microscopy analyses. (A) Representative immunohistochemical staining with anti-LC3 antibody. Arrows indicate the LC3-postive vesicles. (B) Electron micrographs of pancreatic tissues from WT (a₁, a₂, a₃, a₄) and IL-22TG (b₁, b₂, b₃) mice treated with cerulein. (a₁ and a₂) Acinar cells from cerulein-treated WT mice contain one large and many small autophagosomes at different stages of maturation (long arrows). (a₃ and a₄) higher magnification of autophagosomes containing mitochondria (M) and other intracellular organelles such as zymogen (ZG). Please note the double membrane (insert in a₁) surrounding autophagosomes. (b₁) In contrast to WT, acinar cells from cerlulein-treated IL-22TG mice display only a few small autophagosomes (long arrow). (b₂ and b₃) mutilammellar structure can only be found in acinar cells from cerulein-treated IL-22TG mice.