Isolation of Porcine Pancreatic Islets for Xenotransplantation

  • Karin Ulrichs
  • Sibylle Eber
  • Bianca Schneiker
  • Sabine Gahn
  • Armin Strauß
  • Vasiliy Moskalenko
  • Irina Chodnevskaja
Protocol
First Online:
Part of the Methods in Molecular Biology book series (MIMB, volume 885)

Abstract

This chapter deals with a technique for isolating intact islets of Langerhans from the pig pancreas based on our experience performing approximately 750 isolations. The procedure we describe involves identification of an optimal donor pancreas, purification and in vitro culture of islets, diabetes induction in recipients, and transplantation of islets and their immunomodulation. Besides the sophistication of the technical equipment employed, the major factors influencing the isolation outcome are the pig breed, the number and morphology of the islets in the donor pancreas, the quality of the collagenase/neutral protease, and the skill of the team members.

Key words

Pig breed Pancreatic islet isolation Collagenase Neutral protease Porcine islet of Langerhans In vitro culture Diabetes induction Islet transplantation Microencapsulation Immunomodulation 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank Mr. Alois Reichert, Mr. Peter Heuler, and Mr. Jens Weinberger for their excellent technical assistance during organ procurement, and Mrs. Lorraine Stevenson-Knebel for critically reading the manuscript and her untiring assistance with the paperwork. Furthermore, the authors want to thank Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Arnulf Thiede, former director of the Surgical Clinic I, for his never-ending theoretical and practical support of our work.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • Karin Ulrichs
    • 1
  • Sibylle Eber
    • 1
  • Bianca Schneiker
    • 1
  • Sabine Gahn
    • 1
  • Armin Strauß
    • 2
  • Vasiliy Moskalenko
    • 2
  • Irina Chodnevskaja
    • 1
  1. 1.Experimental Transplantation Immunology and Experimental Surgery, Clinic of General, Visceral, Vascular, and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity of Wuerzburg HospitalWürzburgGermany
  2. 2.Clinic of General, Visceral, Vascular and Pediatric(Surgical Clinic I)University of Wuerzburg HospitalWürzburgGermany

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