CCK and pancreatitis: Based on high serum levels of cholecystokinin (CCK) observed in patients with acute pancreatitis, injecting high doses of caerulein (CCK8 analogue) into mice causes many symptoms similarly observed in human pancreatitis such as excessive pancreatic secretion of amylase and lipase, cytoplasmic vacuolization, necrosis of acinar cells, edema, and pancreatic infiltration of neutrophils2.