title: An assay for small scale screening of candidate β cell proliferative factors using intact islets.
abstract: Current protocols for screening proliferative factors for β cells ex vivo are time-consuming, require cell lines or dissociated islets, and often entail expensive specialized screening equipment. Here we present an efficient and lower cost alternative that utilizes intact mouse islets for the initial screening of proliferative compounds and allows confirmation of β cell proliferation from the same islets. This protocol simplifies the process, saves money, and provides a way to identify β cell proliferative factors using equipment that is ubiquitous in most laboratories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley, Nashville, TN; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Rockann E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mosser
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley, Nashville, TN; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gannon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice
keywords: proliferation; screening assay; β cell