Chromogranin A‐positive hormone‐negative endocrine cells in pancreas in human pregnancy

Introduction We sought to determine whether chromogranin A‐positive hormone‐negative (CPHN) endocrine cells are increased in the pancreas of pregnant women, offering potential evidence in support of neogenesis. Methods Autopsy pancreata from pregnant women (n = 14) and age‐matched non‐pregnant control women (n = 9) were obtained. Staining of pancreatic sections for chromogranin A, insulin and a cocktail of glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide and ghrelin was undertaken, with subsequent evaluation for CPHN cell frequency. Results The frequency of clustered β‐cells was increased in pregnant compared to non‐pregnant subjects (46.6 ± 5.0 vs. 31.8 ± 5.0% clustered β‐cells of total clustered endocrine cells, pregnant vs. non‐pregnant, p