title: Prolongation of islet xenograft survival by cryopreservation.
abstract: Our attempt to reduce islet immunogenicity by slow cooling to -40 degrees C, storage at -196 degrees C, and rapid thawing is based on the differential susceptibility of various cell types to a freeze-thaw process. Five hundred rat islets (greater than or equal to 100 micron) were immediately implanted or cryopreserved and then implanted beneath the renal capsule of streptozocin-induced diabetic mice with or without an injection of anti-lymphocyte serum at the time of transplantation. Thirteen days after transplantation, all fresh xenografts had rejected, whereas 37.5% of cryopreserved grafts were still functioning. In immunosuppressed mice, 6.2% of fresh xenografts and 54.5% of cryopreserved grafts were functioning 19 days after transplantation. These results show that cryopreservation can extend xenograft survival.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Coulombe
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Warnock
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Rajotte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005615:Freezing; D006085:Graft Survival; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011309:Preservation, Biological; D051381:Rats; D011920:Rats, Inbred WF; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous