Intracerebral xenotransplantation of semipermeable membrane- encapsuled pancreatic islets.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the decreasing effect of xenotransplantion in combination with privileged sites on rejection and death of biological semipermeable membrane-(BSM) encapsulated implanted islets.


METHODS
After the BSM experiment in vitro, BSM-encapsulated SD rat's islet-like cell clusters (ICCs) were xenotransplanted into normal dog's brain. Morphological changes were observed under light and transmission electron microscope. The islets and apoptosis of implanted B cells were identified by insulin-TUNEL double staining.


RESULTS
The BSM used in our study had a favorable permeability, some degree of rigidity, lighter foreign body reaction and toxicity. The grafts consisted of epithelioid cells and loose connective tissue. Severe infiltration of inflammatory cells was not observed. The implanted ICCs were identified 2 mo later and showed typical apoptosis.


CONCLUSIONS
BSM xenotransplantation in combination with the privileged site can inhibit the rejection of implanted heterogeneous ICCs, and death of implanted heterogeneous B cells is associated with apoptosis.
Xin
Zhao-Liang
ZL
Neurosurgery Department of Yiwu Central Hospital, 3rd Faculty of Medical College, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Province, China. wk555@sohu.com
Ge
Song-Lin
SL
Wu
Xiao-Kang
XK
Jia
Yan-Jie
YJ
Hu
Han-Tao
HT
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain; D004285:Dogs; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000276:immunology / Q000379:methods*