Summary
Syngeneic transplantation of cultured and functionally characterized neonatal islets into the spleen of streptozotocin diabetic Lewis rats resulted in long time survival up to 200 d and in plasma glucose levels lower than 9 mmol/L. The daily plasma glucose profile of transplanted rats had shown significantly above that of nondiabetic control rats. Two-hundred d after transplantation, morphologically intact, insulin containing beta-cells were demonstrable in the spleen, thus demonstrating the long-term survival of functioning islet cells. Proliferation of beta-cells was shown in the transplanted islets. In addition, beta-cell clusters were found that derived from pancreatic ductules transplanted together with the isolated islets into the spleen. Mitoses were visible within ductular epithelial cells. The proliferative response of islets after intrasplenic transplantation is probably the result of a long-term stimulation by slightly enhanced plasma glucose values of the transplant acceptors compared to control animals.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wohlrab F, Wilke B, Schmidt S, Cossel L. Syngeneic transplantation of rat pancreatic islets into the spleen. Light and electron microscopical findings. Int. J. Pancreatol., 1988, 3: 59–72.
Andersson A. Isolated mouse pancreatic islets in culture: Effects of serum and different culture media on the insulin production of the islets. Diabetologia, 1978; 14: 397–404.
Andersson A, Eriksson U, Petersson B, Reibring L, Swenne I. Failure of successful intra- splenic transplantation of islets from lean mice to cure obese-hyperglycaemic mice, despite islet growth. Diabetologia, 1981; 20: 237–241.
Andersson A. The influence of hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and genetic background on the fate of intrasplenically implanted mouse islets. Diabetologia, 1983; 25: 269–272.
Swenne I, Andersson A. Effect of genetic background on the capacity for islet cell replication in mice. Diabetologia, 1984; 27: 464–467.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wohlrab, F., Schmidt, S., Klöting, I. et al. Ducto-insular proliferation of beta-cells after syngeneic islet transplantation into the spleen of streptozotocin-diabetic lewis rats. Int J Pancreatol 5, 77–83 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02925700
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02925700