Cell death and cell proliferation during atrophy of the rat parotid gland induced by duct obstruction

Rat parotid gland atrophy after unilateral duct ligation was studied by light and electron microscopy. Death of secretory acinar cells, which took the form of apoptosis, resulted in their complete disappearance within 5 days. The remnants of the dying cells were mostly phagocytosed and degraded by macrophages within the glandular epithelium; a few were taken up by adjoining epithelial cells. The acinar cell deletion was accompanied by increased mitosis of striated and intercalated duct epithelial cells. However, over many weeks, there was enhanced apoptosis of duct cells, which eventually led to marked shortening of intercalated ducts. Apoptosis of capillary endothelial cells was observed and may account for the reduction in the capillary bed known to accompany gland atrophy. The end-stage lesion comprised small numbers of ducts in a condensed stroma. Compensatory hyperplasia, involving proliferation of duct and acinar cells, was demonstrated in the contralateral glands.