Quantitative evaluation of the development of the exocrine pancreas in cystic fibrosis and control infants.

The development of the exocrine pancreas has been determined quantitatively in 31 
infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) both with and without meconium ileus 
and in 29 control infants. In the normal pancreas, the ratio 
of acinar to connective tissue volume is 0.5 at 32 weeks 
postconceptional age (PCA) and increases linearly to 2.0 at 52 weeks 
PGA. In cystic fibrosis infants, with or without meconium ileus, the 
ration is 0.5 at 35 weeks PCA anddecreases linearly to 0.3 
at 52 weeks PCA. The volume of acinar and duct lumens 
is greater in CF than control infants but is independent of 
age or acinar volume. The development of the exocrine pancreas in 
infants with CF with and without meconium ileus diverges from the 
normal pattern: There is consistent lack of exocrine tissue before or 
a full-term birth, which persists throghout the age range of this 
study. CF infants above 42 weeks PCA can be discriminated from 
controls on the basis of the quantitative assessment of acinar volume. 
