The Canine Pancreatic Extracellular Matrix in Diabetes Mellitus and Pancreatitis: Its Essential Role and Therapeutic Perspective

Simple Summary The dog is considered an animal model for the study of several diseases that occur in humans since they present similar phenotypic development. Among them, we can highlight diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis, which are diseases that affect the endocrine and exocrine portion of the pancreas, respectively, and showing high prevalence, social cost, mortality, and morbidity in companion animals. This work aimed to highlight the importance of using the dog as a model for the study of changes in the pancreatic extracellular matrix when affected by diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis. The extracellular matrix performs several functions, such as physical support and regulation of cellular processes, being composed mainly of proteins, glycoproteins, glycosaminoglycans, and proteoglycans. It is noteworthy that there are no studies characterizing the healthy and diseased canine pancreatic extracellular matrix, as well as studies related to the matrix components involved in the progression of these diseases. It is known that most pathological pancreatic conditions induce extracellular matrix changes through a remodelling process, which has to be thoroughly studied to fully understand the pathogenesis of any pancreatic disease. Diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis are common pancreatic diseases in dogs, affecting the endocrine and exocrine portions of the organ. Dogs have a significant role in the history of research related to genetic diseases, being considered potential models for the study of human diseases. This review discusses the importance of using the extracellular matrix of the canine pancreas as a model for the study of diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis, in addition to focusing on the importance of using extracellular matrix in new regenerative techniques, such as decellularization and recellularization. Unlike humans, rabbits, mice, and pigs, there are no reports in the literature characterizing the healthy pancreatic extracellular matrix in dogs, in addition to the absence of studies related to matrix components that are involved in triggering diabetes melittus and pancreatitis. The extracellular matrix plays the role of physical support for the cells and allows the regulation of various cellular processes. In this context, it has already been demonstrated that physiologic and pathologic pancreatic changes lead to ECM remodeling, highlighting the importance of an in-depth study of the changes associated with pancreatic diseases.

Automated summary

This article discusses the importance of using dogs as models for studying pancreatic diseases, specifically diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis. The changes in the pancreatic extracellular matrix are crucial in these diseases, but there are currently no related studies. Understanding the changes in the canine pancreatic extracellular matrix is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases.