title: Collection of islets of Langerhans using an equilibrium method.
abstract: Here we present a convenient method for easy hand selection of enzymatically isolated small tissues such as islets of Langerhans. Islets are continuously collected in a micropipette tip connected to a peristaltic pump. After entering the conical micropipette tip, the islets are quickly dragged up by solution flow, but this movement subsequently decreases as the flow rate decreases. Thus, the islets are trapped at a specific height where downward gravitation balances upward buoyancy and the drag provided by solution flow. Our device allows more efficient isolation of islets compared to conventional manual collection methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. koh@uw.edu
authors.forename: Duk-Su
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moody
authors.forename: Junghyo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin