Recently, I mentioned the possibility of insulinomae ("Insulinomas" is
also a correct plural.) maybe actually being at least some of the time
due originally to a problem with progenitor cells that create beta
cells, and that if so that might explain the scatter shot character of
these tumors throughout the pancreas since a past study (2008 if memory
serves) indicates that beta cell creation happens in waves. Remember
that like all other concepts about insulinoma generation this is still
a hypothesis and nothing more till there are reputable studies and
independent confirming studies.
In a recent pers. com. a researcher in the field (whose name I don't
know if I can say publicly for privacy's sake) of U. WI School of
Medicine and Public Health yesterday very kindly introduced me to some
papers and information, including a study from Germany in 2010 on EpCAM
expression in human insulinomas. EpCAM is produced by the progenitor
cells but in humans it turns out that it appears at high levels in 38%
of benign insulinomas and in 78% and 80% of malignant insulinomas and
their metastases, respectively.
Human and ferret insulinomas will differ but it might pay to look at
EpCAM expression in ferret insulinomas to see what the levels are like.
The article can be read here:
http://eje-online.org/content/162/2/391.long
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/http://ferrethealth.org/archive/http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.htmlhttp://www.miamiferret.org/http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/http://www.ferretcongress.org/http://www.trifl.org/index.shtmlhttp://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
On change for its own sake: "You can go really fast if you just jump
off the cliff." (2010, Steve Crandall)
[Posted in FML 7160]
