Adult human pancreatic islet cells in tissue culture: Function and immunoreactivity

Abstract

In order to obtain an appropriate tissue model t o study human diabetes we isolated isletcells from pancreata obtained from brain-dead, heart-beating kidney donor subjects by collagenase dispersion and tissue culture. The presence of viable islet cells was confirmed by both immunofluorescence staining and hormone release experiments. Insulin and soma-tostatin release were determined on culture day 3 or 4 when amylase measurements indicated an absence of functional exo-crine cells. Glucose, α-ketoisocaproic acid, theophylline, gluca-gon, and tolbutamide each stimulated insulin release 2-to 3-fold and somatostatin release 1.5-to 2-fold. Epinephrine and soma-tostatin both inhibited glucose-stim..