When acute pancreatitis in Spink1-KOhet mice was elicited by transient hyperstimulation with cerulein (10 injections), and animals were euthanized a week after the last injection, the pancreas weight was significantly lower than those of C57BL/6N controls (Figure 6A) and histological analysis showed areas of acinar atrophy, dilated ducts, and inflammatory cells (Figure 6B). This evidence concerns the gene SPINK1 and acute pancreatitis.