Supported by funding from the University of Illinois at Chicago as well as Islet Cell Resource Center NIH grant (RFA-RR 05-003), the Christopher Foundation, the Efroymson Foundation, and the Tellabs Foundation.

1. Facility setup
<ol>
<li>Human islet isolation is a time sensitive procedure that involves teamwork, and hence, four individuals are needed to conduct this procedure. The team is lead by the surgeon, who dissects and cannulates the pancreas.</li>
<li>The islet isolation begins the minute the team enters the UIC islet isolation facility. Team members ensure that all necessary instrumentation, like the centrifuge, is checked and turned on. They also make sure to sanitize all hoods and surfaces.</li>
<li>Two people will set up the cannulation table, slush machine, digestion circuit, perfusion unit, COBE purification machine, and surgical tables.</li>
<li>Simultaneously, two other team members will prepare the media that is needed during isolation.</li>
<li>Next, bacteriology tubes (bottles, tube, form and bag), sampling tubes (pre-filled with wash), and assessment tubes and plates are prepared.</li>
<li>Prepare the purification tube set as follows: The 1st tube empty and marked at 150 ml, tubes 2-12 filled with 200 ml of M199 media supplemented with human albumin (wash solution) and marked at 230 ml, and finally one 50 ml conical tube filled with 50 ml of wash solution. Once these preparation steps are complete we are ready to begin preparing and perfusing the pancreas.</li>
</ol>
2. Pancreas preparation and perfusion
<ol>
<li>To begin preparation and perfusion of the pancreas, an operator removes the organ from packaging using sterile technique. The surgeon will transfer the pancreas to the decontamination table.</li>
<li>The surgeon will fill one 60 ml syringe with the original pancreas preservation solution and hand it to an operator, who will use it to fill prepared &ldquo;Procurement&rdquo; bacteriology bottles.</li>
<li>After a visual inspection to determine whether the organ is suitable for islet isolation (If the pancreas is damaged during procurement or anatomically abnormal, it may not be used for islet isolation), the surgeon will ask an operator to prepare collagenase. Remember that that re-suspension time varies between different enzyme brands and lots.</li>
<li>When the surgeon is ready, bring the decontamination solutions (Betadine, Fungizone/Cefazolin and HBSS) to the decontamination table and pour them into the appropriate containers. Surgeon performs pancreas decontamination washing for a minute the pancreas in each of the decontamination solution. The pancreas is then placed in a small sterile jar in which it will be weighed. After the weight is entered into the batch record, the pancreas is placed in the cannulation pan with some preservation solution.</li>
<li>The surgeon will expose and partially incise the main duct and cannulate each half of the pancreas with a cannula. The cannula will be secured by suture. To perfuse the pancreas, first move it to the perfusion unit and pour the enzyme solution into the basin. Total perfusion time is about 10 minutes, at 80 mmHg for 5 minutes, then at 180 mmHg for 5 minutes. Pancreas distended after perfusion.</li>
<li>Move the perfused pancreas to the cannulation pan, where the fatty tissue is trimmed from the pancreas carefully. Then cut the pancreas into 10-12 pieces and transfer to Ricordi Chamber for digestion.</li>
</ol>
3. Pancreas digestion
<ol>
<li>To begin digestion step, transfer the pancreas to the empty Ricordi Chamber, add one 2.5 ml vial of Pulmozyme, put on screen (avoid big chunk of tissue block the chamber), close the chamber, and fill up the system.</li>
<li>Start pumping the solution for 5 minutes. Gently rock the chamber to evenly disperse warm solution throughout. After five minutes, gently shake the chamber for the whole digestion phase. Maintain the temperature at 37&#x02DA;C.</li>
<li>Rock the chamber gently until the temperature reaches 37&deg;, then shake the chamber. Take a sample every two minutes and detect if free islets are found under the scope. Record the islet evaluation information in the digestion table of the batch record. Continue to monitor the percentage of islets until there are 50% of them floating free and isolated in the solution.</li>
</ol>
4. Tissue collection
<ol>
<li>Once 50% of the islets are found free in the samples, digestion is stopped by adding cold RPMI dilution solution in the circuit. Tissue is collected in 500 ml conical tubes pre-filled with 30 ml Human Albumin. Once the tubes are spun, suction off the supernatant and wash the pellet with cold wash solution. Spin the conical tubes at 1100 RPM (Rotations Per Minute) for 1 minute, 4&#x02DA;C.</li>
<li>Combine all collection tubes suspended with digested pancreatic tissue into a single 500 ml conical. When a tube is full of washed tissue, spin and repeat the washing process until all tissue has been washed multiple times. Spin this tube and transfer the tissue into a single 250 ml conical tube. Bring the volume up to 250 ml with M199 washing solution supplemented with HA and prepare for sampling.</li>
<li>Take a 1 ml sample with a pipette and add to a 15 ml conical tube pre-filled with 9 ml of wash solution. Then mix by gently inverting the 15 ml conical tube and from this, sample out 1ml directly into a grid counting dish. Count the cells, and calculate the cell number using a dilution factor of 2500 (10x250).</li>
<li>Spin the 250 ml conical tube and add 150 ml of UW (University of Wisconsin) Solution that usually use for organ preservation. When UW is added, mix the cell suspension thoroughly using the pipette. Record and communicate to the purification operator the start time in UW. Leave the tube(s) on ice and swirl occasionally. Now the islets can be purified further.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Shapiro, A. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Islet+transplantation+in+seven+patients+with+type+1+diabetes+mellitus+using+a+glucocorticoid-free+immunosuppressive+regimen.">Islet transplantation in seven patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus using a glucocorticoid-free immunosuppressive regimen.</a> N Engl J Med. 343, 230-238 (2000).</li><li>Nano, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Islet+isolation+for+allotransplantation:+variables+associated+with+successful+islet+yield+and+graft+function.">Islet isolation for allotransplantation: variables associated with successful islet yield and graft function.</a> Diabetologia. 48, 906-912 (2005).</li><li>Barbaro, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Improved+human+pancreatic+islet+purification+with+the+refined+UIC-UB+density+gradient.">Improved human pancreatic islet purification with the refined UIC-UB density gradient.</a> Transplantation. 84, 1200-1203 (2007).</li><li>Lakey, J. R., Rajotte, R. V., Warnock, G. L., Kneteman, N. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+pancreas+preservation+prior+to+islet+isolation.+Cold+ischemic+tolerance.">Human pancreas preservation prior to islet isolation. Cold ischemic tolerance.</a> Transplantation. 59, 689-694 (1995).</li><li>Fridell, J. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparison+of+histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate+solution+and+University+of+Wisconsin+solution+for+organ+preservation+in+clinical+pancreas+transplantation.">Comparison of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution and University of Wisconsin solution for organ preservation in clinical pancreas transplantation.</a> Transplantation. 77, 1304-1306 (2004).</li><li>Potdar, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Initial+experience+using+histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate+solution+in+clinical+pancreas+transplantation.">Initial experience using histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution in clinical pancreas transplantation.</a> Clin Transplant. 18, 661-665 (2004).</li><li>Salehi, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+islet+isolation+outcomes+from+pancreata+preserved+with+Histidine-Tryptophan+Ketoglutarate+versus+University+of+Wisconsin+solution.">Human islet isolation outcomes from pancreata preserved with Histidine-Tryptophan Ketoglutarate versus University of Wisconsin solution.</a> Transplantation. 82, 983-985 (2006).</li><li>Ricordi, C., Lacy, P. E., Scharp, D. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Automated+islet+isolation+from+human+pancreas.">Automated islet isolation from human pancreas.</a> Diabetes. 38, 140-142 (1989).</li><li>Hanley, S. C., Paraskevas, S., Rosenberg, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Donor+and+isolation+variables+predicting+human+islet+isolation+success.">Donor and isolation variables predicting human islet isolation success.</a> Transplantation. 85, 950-955 (2008).</li><li>Toso, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Factors+affecting+human+islet+of+Langerhans+isolation+yields.">Factors affecting human islet of Langerhans isolation yields.</a> Transplant Proc. 34, 826-827 (2002).</li></ol>

There are a variety of factors affecting the isolation outcome 9,10. Among them, digestion of the pancreatic tissue plays a prominent role. Based on our own human islet isolation experience, we summarized following critical points, which could potentially influence the islet yield and quality.
<ol>
<li>The digestion time is different when different types of enzymes are utilized.</li>
<li>As soon as 40-50% of the islets completely separated from acinar tissue, the digestion should be stopped immediately by adding dilu...

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		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
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<tr>
<td>Ice Slush Machine</td>
<td>equipment</td>
<td>Taylor Company</td>
<td>K4036546</td>
<td>make sterile ice</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Centrifuge</td>
<td>equipment</td>
<td>Beckman Coulter</td>
<td>424803</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>MZ6 Inverted Microscopy TLBD4.1</td>
<td>equipment</td>
<td>Leica Diagnostic Instrument Co</td>
<td>4103</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>Cell Culture Dish with 2 mm Grid</td>
<td>equipment</td>
<td>Nunc Brand Products</td>
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<td>Digital Water Bath EX7</td>
<td>equipment</td>
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<td>60444</td>
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<td>1119430864</td>
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<td>MasterFlex II Speed Controller</td>
<td>equipment</td>
<td>Cole Parmer Instrument Co</td>
<td>J00006445</td>
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<td>Digital Sight DS L1</td>
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<td>Nikon</td>
<td>217267</td>
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<td>Custom Made/Swiss</td>
<td>n/a</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>n/a</td>
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<td>DURAMED</td>
<td>1000-46-06</td>
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<td>Hank's Buffered Salt Solution (HBSS)</td>
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<td>Mediatech Inc</td>
<td>99-597-CM</td>
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<td>25% Human Albumin</td>
<td>reagent</td>
<td>GRIFOLS</td>
<td>NDC 61953-0002-2</td>
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<td>Mediatech Inc</td>
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<td>Collagenase NB1 GMP grade</td>
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<td>Neutral Protease NB1 GMP grade</td>
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<td>reagent</td>
<td>Sigma </td>
<td>D5130</td>
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human pancreatic islet isolation: part i: digestion and collection of pancreatic tissue

Management of Type 1 diabetes is burdensome, both to the individual and society, costing over 100 billion dollars annually. Despite the widespread use of glucose monitoring and new insulin formulations, many individuals still develop devastating secondary complications. Pancreatic islet transplantation can restore near normal glucose control in diabetic patients 1, without the risk of serious hypoglycemic episodes that are associated with intensive insulin therapy. Providing sufficient islet mass is important for successful islet transplantation. However, donor characteristic, organ procurement and preservation affect the isolation outcome 2. At University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) we have developed a successful isolation protocol with an improved purification gradient 3. The program started in January 2004, and more than 300 isolations were performed up to November 2008. The pancreata were sent in cold preservation solutions (UW, University of Wisconsin or HTK, Histidine-Tryptophan Ketoglutarate) 4-7 to the Cell Isolation Laboratory at UIC for islet isolation. Pancreatic islets were isolated using the UIC method, which is a modified version of the method originally described by Ricordi et al 8. Briefly, after cleaning the pancreas from the surrounding tissue, it was perfused with enzyme solution (Serva Collagenase + Neutral Protease or Sigma V enzyme). The distended pancreas was then transferred to the Ricordi digestion chamber, connected to a modified, closed circulation tubing system, and warmed up to 37&deg;C. During the digestion, the chamber was shaken gently. Samples were taken continuously to monitor the digestion progress. Once free islets were detected under the microscope, the digestion was stopped by flushing cold (4&deg;C) RPMI dilution solution (Mediatech, Herndon, VA) into the circulation system to dilute the enzyme. After being collected and washed in M199 media supplemented with human albumin, the tissue was sampled for pre-purification count and incubated with UW solution before purification. Purification process will be described in Part II: Purification and Culture of Human Islets.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Human Pancreatic Islet Isolation: Part I: Digestion and Collection of Pancreatic Tissue at JoVE.com

Human Pancreatic Islet Isolation: Part I: Digestion and Collection of Pancreatic Tissue

Achieving high quality and appropriate quantity of human islets is one of the prominent prerequisites for successful islet transplantation. In this video, we describe step by step the procedures for human pancreatic islet isolation (part I: digestion and collection of pancreatic tissue) using a modified automated method.

Management of Type 1 diabetes is burdensome, both to the individual and society, costing over 100 billion dollars annually. Despite the widespread use of ...

human-pancreatic-islet-isolation-part-i-digestion-collection

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19.3K Views.  University of Illinois, Chicago. Achieving high quality and appropriate quantity of human islets is one of the prominent prerequisites for successful islet transplantation. In this video, we describe step by step the procedures for human pancreatic islet isolation (part I: digestion and collection of pancreatic tissue) using a modified automated method.

Video: Human Pancreatic Islet Isolation: Part I: Digestion and Collection of Pancreatic Tissue

Murine Pancreatic Islet Isolation

Human Pancreatic Islet Isolation: Part II: Purification and Culture of Human Islets

Management of Type 1 diabetes is burdensome, both to the individual and society, costing over 100 billion dollars annually. Despite the widespread use of glucose monitoring and new insulin formulations, many individuals still develop devastating secondary complications. Pancreatic islet transplantation can restore near normal glucose control in diabetic patients 1, without the risk of serious hypoglycemic episodes that are associated with intensive insulin therapy. Providing sufficient islet mass is important for successful islet transplantation. However, donor characteristics, organ procurement and preservation affect the isolation outcome 2. At University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) we developed a successful isolation protocol with an improved purification gradient 3. The program started in January 2004 and more than 300 isolations were performed up to November 2008. The pancreata were sent in cold preservation solutions (UW, University of Wisconsin or HTK, Histidine-Tryptophan Ketoglutarate) 4-7 to the Cell Isolation Laboratory at UIC for islet isolation. Pancreatic islets were isolated using the UIC method, which is a modified version of the method originally described by Ricordi et al 8. As described in Part I: Digestion and Collection of Pancreatic Tissue, human pancreas was trimmed, cannulated, perfused, and digested. After collection and at least 30 minutes of incubation in UW solution, the tissue was loaded in the cell separator (COBE 2991, Cobe, Lakewood, CO) for purification 3. Following purification, islet yield (expressed as islet equivalents, IEQ), tissue volume, and purity was determined according to standard methods 9. Isolated islets were cultured in CMRL-1066 media (Mediatech, Herndon, VA), supplemented with 1.5% human albumin, 0.1% insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS), 1 ml of Ciprofloxacin, 5 ml o f 1M HEPES, and 14.5 ml of 7.5% Sodium Bicarbonate in T175 flasks at 37&deg;C overnight culture before islets were transplanted or used for research.

Achieving high quality and appropriate quantity of human islets is one of the prominent prerequisites for successful islet transplantation. In this video, we describe step by step the procedures for human pancreatic islet isolation (part II: purification and culture of human islets) using a modified automated method.

Isolation of Stem Cells from Human Pancreatic Cancer Xenografts

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in a growing number of malignancies and are functionally defined by their ability to undergo self-renewal and produce differentiated progeny1. These properties allow CSCs to recapitulate the original tumor when injected into immunocompromised mice. CSCs within an epithelial malignancy were first described in breast cancer and found to display specific cell surface antigen expression (CD44+CD24low/-)2. Since then, CSCs have been identified in an increasing number of other human malignancies using CD44 and CD24 as well as a number of other surface antigens. Physiologic properties, including aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, have also been used to isolate CSCs from malignant tissues3-5.
Recently, we and others identified CSCs from pancreatic adenocarcinoma based on
ALDH activity and the expression of the cell surface antigens CD44 and CD24, and CD1336-8. These highly tumorigenic populations may or may not be overlapping and display other functions. We found that ALDH+ and CD44+CD24+ pancreatic CSCs are similarly tumorigenic, but ALDH+ cells are relatively more invasive8. In this protocol we describe a method to isolate viable pancreatic CSCs from low-passage human
xenografts9. Xenografted tumors are harvested from mice and made into a single-cell suspension. Tissue debris and dead cells are separated from live cells and then stained using antibodies against CD44 and CD24 and using the ALDEFLUOR reagent,
a fluorescent substrate of ALDH10. CSCs are then isolated by fluorescence activated cell sorting. Isolated CSCs can then be used for analytical or functional assays requiring viable cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in a number of malignancies. In this protocol we describe a flow cytometric method utilizing aldehyde dehydrogenase activity and CD44 and CD24 expression to isolate CSCs from human pancreatic adenocarcinoma xenografts. These viable cells can then be used in functional and analytical studies.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in a growing number of malignancies and are functionally defined by their ability to undergo self-renewal ...

Computer-assisted Large-scale Visualization and Quantification of Pancreatic Islet Mass, Size Distribution and Architecture

The pancreatic islet is a unique micro-organ composed of several hormone secreting endocrine cells such as beta-cells (insulin), alpha-cells (glucagon), and delta-cells (somatostatin) that are embedded in the exocrine tissues and comprise 1-2% of the entire pancreas. There is a close correlation between body and pancreas weight. Total beta-cell mass also increases proportionately to compensate for the demand for insulin in the body. What escapes this proportionate expansion is the size distribution of islets. Large animals such as humans share similar islet size distributions with mice, suggesting that this micro-organ has a certain size limit to be functional. The inability of large animal pancreata to generate proportionately larger islets is compensated for by an increase in the number of islets and by an increase in the proportion of larger islets in their overall islet size distribution. Furthermore, islets exhibit a striking plasticity in cellular composition and architecture among different species and also within the same species under various pathophysiological conditions. In the present study, we describe novel approaches for the analysis of biological image data in order to facilitate the automation of analytic processes, which allow for the analysis of large and heterogeneous data collections in the study of such dynamic biological processes and complex structures. Such studies have been hampered due to technical difficulties of unbiased sampling and generating large-scale data sets to precisely capture the complexity of biological processes of islet biology. Here we show methods to collect unbiased "representative" data within the limited availability of samples (or to minimize the sample collection) and the standard experimental settings, and to precisely analyze the complex three-dimensional structure of the islet. Computer-assisted automation allows for the collection and analysis of large-scale data sets and also assures unbiased interpretation of the data. Furthermore, the precise quantification of islet size distribution and spatial coordinates (i.e. X, Y, Z-positions) not only leads to an accurate visualization of pancreatic islet structure and composition, but also allows us to identify patterns during development and adaptation to altering conditions through mathematical modeling. The methods developed in this study are applicable to studies of many other systems and organisms as well.

Novel computer-assisted methods of large-scale procurement and analysis of immunohistochemically stained pancreatic specimens are described: (1) Virtual Slice capture of the entire section; (2) Mass analysis of large-scale data; (3) Reconstruction of 2D Virtual Slices; (4) 3D islet mapping; and (5) Mathematical analysis.

The pancreatic islet is a unique micro-organ composed of several hormone secreting endocrine cells such as beta-cells (insulin), alpha-cells (glucagon), ...

A Method for Mouse Pancreatic Islet Isolation and Intracellular cAMP Determination

Uncontrolled glycemia is a hallmark of diabetes mellitus and promotes morbidities like neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. With the increasing prevalence of diabetes, both immune-mediated type 1 and obesity-linked type 2, studies aimed at delineating diabetes pathophysiology and therapeutic mechanisms are of critical importance. The &#946;-cells of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans are responsible for appropriately secreting insulin in response to elevated blood glucose concentrations. In addition to glucose and other nutrients, the &#946;-cells are also stimulated by specific hormones, termed incretins, which are secreted from the gut in response to a meal and act on &#946;-cell receptors that increase the production of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Decreased &#946;-cell function, mass, and incretin responsiveness are well-understood to contribute to the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes, and are also being increasingly linked with type 1 diabetes. The present mouse islet isolation and cAMP determination protocol can be a tool to help delineate mechanisms promoting disease progression and therapeutic interventions, particularly those that are mediated by the incretin receptors or related receptors that act through modulation of intracellular cAMP production. While only cAMP measurements will be described, the described islet isolation protocol creates a clean preparation that also allows for many other downstream applications, including glucose stimulated insulin secretion, [3H]-thymidine incorporation, protein abundance, and mRNA expression.

Assaying in vitro &#946;-cell function using isolated mouse islets of Langerhans is an important component in the study of diabetes pathophysiology and therapeutics. While many&#160;downstream applications are available, this protocol specifically describes the measurement of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) as an essential parameter determining &#946;-cell function.

Uncontrolled glycemia is a hallmark of diabetes mellitus and promotes morbidities like neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. With the increasing ...

Preparation of Pancreatic Acinar Cells for the Purpose of Calcium Imaging, Cell Injury Measurements, and Adenoviral Infection

The pancreatic acinar cell is the main parenchymal cell of the exocrine pancreas and plays a primary role in the secretion of pancreatic enzymes into the pancreatic duct. It is also the site for the initiation of pancreatitis. Here we describe how acinar cells are isolated from whole pancreas tissue and intracellular calcium signals are measured. In addition, we describe the techniques of transfecting these cells with adenoviral constructs, and subsequently measuring the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase, a marker of cell injury, during conditions that induce acinar cell injury in vitro. These techniques provide a powerful tool to characterize acinar cell physiology and pathology.

We describe a reproducible method of preparing mouse pancreatic acinar cells from a mouse for the purpose of examining acinar cell calcium signals and cellular injury with physiologically and pathologically relevant stimuli. A method for adenoviral infection of these cells is also provided.

The pancreatic acinar  cell is the main parenchymal cell of the exocrine pancreas and plays a primary  role in the secretion of pancreatic enzymes into ...

Isolation and Culture of Mouse Primary Pancreatic Acinar Cells

This protocol permits rapid isolation (in less than 1 hr) of murine pancreatic acini, making it possible to maintain them in culture for more than one week. More than 20 x 106 acinar cells can be obtained from a single murine pancreas. This protocol offers the possibility to independently process as many as 10 pancreases in parallel. Because it preserves acinar architecture, this model is well suited for studying the physiology of the exocrine pancreas in vitro in contrast to cell lines established from pancreatic tumors, which display many genetic alterations resulting in partial or total loss of their acinar differentiation.

In this publication, we describe a rapid and convenient procedure for isolating and culturing primary pancreatic acinar cells from the murine pancreas. This method constitutes a valuable approach to study the physiology of fresh primary normal/untransformed exocrine pancreatic cells.

This protocol permits rapid isolation (in less than 1 hr) of murine pancreatic acini, making it possible to maintain them in culture for more than one ...

A Simple High Efficiency Protocol for Pancreatic Islet Isolation from Mice

Pancreatic islets, also called the Islets of Langerhans, are a cluster of endocrine cells which produces hormones for glucose regulation and other important biological functions. The islets primarily consist of five types of hormone-secreting cells: &#945; cells secrete glucagon, &#946; cells secrete insulin, &#948; cells secrete somatostatin, &#949; cells secrete ghrelin, and PP cells secrete pancreatic polypeptide. Sixty to 80% of the cells in the islets are &#946; cells, which are the most important cell population to study insulin secretion. Pancreatic islets are a crucial model system to study ex vivo insulin secretion. Acquiring high quality islets is of great importance for diabetes research. Most islet isolation procedures require technically difficult to access site of collagenase injection, harsh and complex digestion procedures, and multiple density gradient purification steps. This paper features a simple high yield mouse islet isolation method with detailed descriptions and realistic demonstrations, showing the following specific steps: 1) injection of collagenase P at the ampulla of Vater, a small area joining the pancreatic duct and the common bile duct, 2) enzymatic digestion and mechanical separation of the exocrine pancreas, and 3) a single gradient purification step. The advantages of this method are the injection of digestive enzyme using the more accessible ampulla of Vater, more complete digestion using combination of enzymatic and mechanical approaches, and a simpler single gradient purification step. This protocol produces approximately 250&#8212;350 islets per mouse; and islets are suitable for various ex vivo studies. Possible caveats of this procedure are potentially damaged islets due to enzymatic digestion and/or prolonged gradient incubation, all of which can be largely avoided by careful ad justification of incubation time.

This islet isolation protocol described a novel route of collagenase injection to digest the exocrine tissue and a simplified gradient procedure to purify the islets from mice. It involves enzymatic digestion, gradient separation/purification, and islet hand-picking. Successful isolation can yield 250&#8211;350 high quality and fully functional islets per mouse.

Pancreatic islets, also called the Islets of Langerhans, are a cluster of endocrine cells which produces hormones for glucose regulation and other ...

Pancreatic Islet Embedding for Paraffin Sections

Experiments using isolated pancreatic islets are important for diabetes research, but islets are expensive and of limited abundance. Islets contain a mixed cell population in a structured architecture that impacts function, and human islets are widely variable in cell type composition. Current frequently used methods to study cultured islets include molecular studies performed on whole islets, lumping disparate islet cell types together, or microscopy or molecular studies on dispersed islet cells, disrupting islet architecture. For in vivo islet studies, paraffin-embedded pancreas sectioning is a powerful technique to assess cell-specific outcomes in the native pancreatic environment. Studying post-culture islets by paraffin sectioning would offer several advantages: detection of multiple outcomes on the same islets (potentially even the exact-same islets, using serial sections), cell-type-specific measurements, and maintaining native islet cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions both during experimental exposure and for analysis. However, existing techniques for embedding isolated islets post-culture are inefficient, time consuming, prone to loss of material, and generally produce sections with inadequate islet numbers to be useful for quantifying outcomes. Clinical pathology laboratory cell block preparation facilities are inaccessible and impractical for basic research laboratories. We have developed an improved, simplified bench-top method that generates sections with robust yield and distribution of islets. Fixed islets are resuspended in warm histological agarose gel and pipetted into a flat disc on a standard glass slide, such that the islets are distributed in a plane. After standard dehydration and embedding, multiple (10+) 4 - 5 &#181;m sections can be cut from the same islet block. Using this method, histological&#160;and immunofluorescent analyses can be performed on mouse, rat, and human islets. This is an effective, inexpensive, time-saving approach to assess cell-type-specific, intact-architecture outcomes from cultured islets.

Ex vivo pancreatic islet studies are important for diabetes research. Existing techniques to study cultured islets in their native 3-dimensional architecture are time consuming, inefficient, and infrequently used. This work describes a new, simple, and efficient method for generating high-quality paraffin sections of whole cultured islets.

Experiments using isolated pancreatic islets are important for diabetes research, but islets are expensive and of limited abundance. Islets contain a ...

Imaging Calcium Dynamics in Subpopulations of Mouse Pancreatic Islet Cells

Pancreatic islet hormones regulate blood glucose homeostasis. Changes in blood glucose induce oscillations of cytosolic calcium in pancreatic islet cells that trigger secretion of three main hormones: insulin (from &#946;-cells), glucagon (&#945;-cells) and somatostatin (&#948;-cells). &#946;-Cells, which make up the majority of islet cells and are electrically coupled to each other, respond to the glucose stimulus as one single entity. The excitability of the minor subpopulations, &#945;-cells and &#948;-cells (making up around 20% (30%) and 4% (10%) of the total rodent1 (human2) islet cell numbers, respectively) is less predictable and is therefore of special interest.
Calcium sensors are delivered into the peripheral layer of cells within the isolated islet. The islet or a group of islets is then immobilized and imaged using a fluorescence microscope. The choice of the imaging mode is between higher throughput (wide-field) and better spatial resolution (confocal). Conventionally, laser scanning confocal microscopy is used for imaging tissue, as it provides the best separation of the signal between the neighboring cells. A wide-field system can be utilized too, if the contaminating signal from the dominating population of &#946;-cells is minimized.
Once calcium dynamics in response to specific stimuli have been recorded, data are expressed in numerical form as fluorescence intensity vs. time, normalized to the initial fluorescence and baseline-corrected, to remove the effects linked to bleaching of the fluorophore. Changes in the spike frequency or partial area under the curve (pAUC) are computed vs. time, to quantify the observed effects. pAUC is more sensitive and quite robust whereas spiking frequency provides more information on the mechanism of calcium increase.
Minor cell subpopulations can be identified using functional responses to marker compounds, such as adrenaline and ghrelin, that induce changes in cytosolic calcium in a specific populations of islet cells.

Here, we present a protocol for imaging and quantifying calcium dynamics in heterogeneous cell populations, such as pancreatic islet cells. Fluorescent reporters are delivered into the peripheral layer of cells within the islet, which is then immobilized and imaged, and per-cell analysis of the dynamics of fluorescence intensity is performed.

Pancreatic islet hormones regulate blood glucose homeostasis. Changes in blood glucose induce oscillations of cytosolic calcium in pancreatic islet cells ...