title: Composition of human islet cell preparations for transplantation.
abstract: To study the cellular composition of human islet cell isolates for transplantation, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded cell pellets were stained by the immunoperoxidase method with a panel of antibodies characterising endocrine, epithelial, soft tissue and haematolymphoid components. Immediately after separation, the isolates contained 30-80% islet cells, differing mainly in the content of islet and acinar cells, whereas the soft tissue, ductal/ductular and haematolymphoid elements comprised a relatively constant 10-20%. After 1 week in culture the islet cell content of less highly purified isolates (30-40% islets) dropped dramatically to 5%. The highly purified isolates (70-80% islets) showed only a minimal change in cellular composition; however, approximately two-thirds of islet cells were degranulated and did not stain for insulin. Haematolymphoid components were still present in all cultured isolates. We conclude that primarily mechanical purification methods and short-term culture are not sufficient to eliminate highly immunogenic cells. In addition, short-term culture is deleterious to the isolate if a significant number of acinar cells is still present after enrichment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh Transplant Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Sever
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Demetris
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tzakis
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Starzl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ricordi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens