Stone formation is an important feature of chronic pancreatitis, especially tropical calcific pancreatitis (TCP), where the stones are large in size, highly irregular in shape and cause enormous tissue destruction. The exact mechanism of stone formation is not well-understood. It is very important to understand the initial event so that stone formation can be controlled before it causes obstruction and damage to the pancreatic tissue. One such study was recently reported in the November 28 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology because of its significance in pancreatic diseases.