tuft cell of pancreatic duct
tuft cell of pancreatic duct
A tuft cell that is part of the epithelium of pancreatic duct. Present in humans and rats, this cell is absent in the murine pancreas under normal conditions but emerges during acinar-to-ductal metaplasia triggered by injury, inflammation, or oncogenic mutations. It modulates the immune response and protects against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression by producing suppressive eicosanoids, such as prostaglandin D2. A tuft cell in the pancreatic duct highly expresses the transcription factor POU2F3, which is essential for its development and presence.