Infant human pancreas. A potential source of islet tissue for transplantation. 1976

D E Sutherland, and A J Matas, and M W Steffes, and J S Najarian

Twelve pancreases from human infants one year old or less were analyzed for tissue insulin and amylase content before and after dispersal of pancreatic fragments by mincing and collagenase digestion. Tissue insulin and amylase content provide an index of pancreatic islet mass and exocrine digestive enzyme content, respectively. The results were compared with similar anaylses performed on juvenile and adult human pancreases before and after islet isolation and on intact and dispersed neonatal rat and adult rat pancreas. Infant human pancreas has an average tissue insulin concentration of 1,128 mug./gm. of tissue and a total insulin content of 1,718 mug/pancreas, as against values of 140 mug./gm. of tissue and 7,209 mug./pancreas for adult human pancreas. Average tissue amylase concentration is 0.24 mg./gm. of tissue in infant human pancreas and 3.0 mg./gm. of tissue in adult human pancreas. The insulin/amylase ratio in infant pancreas is 4,800, as against 46 in the adult pancreas. Neonatal rat pancreas, which can be dissociated and transplanted without separation of islet and exocrine components, has a similarly high tissue insulin and low tissue amylase content when compared with adult rat pancreases. Infant human pancreas has a total islet mass 24 per cent that of an adult human pancreas, and neonatal rat pancreas has a total islet mass 11 per cent of that of an adult rat pancreas. One neonatal rat pancreas prepared by minimal collagenase digestion can cure diabetes when transplanted via the portal vein to a rat. Following dispersal of infant human pancreas by collagenase digestion, the islet content and the insulin/amylase ratio of the recovered tissue equals or exceeds that which usually can be isolated from adult cadaver pancreases. Infant human pancreas is a rich source of islet tissue that is relatively uncontaminated by exocrine digestive enzymes. After dispersal, infant human pancreas may be ideal for transplantation to selected diabetic patients.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007328 Insulin A 51-amino acid pancreatic hormone that plays a major role in the regulation of glucose metabolism, directly by suppressing endogenous glucose production (GLYCOGENOLYSIS; GLUCONEOGENESIS) and indirectly by suppressing GLUCAGON secretion and LIPOLYSIS. Native insulin is a globular protein comprised of a zinc-coordinated hexamer. Each insulin monomer containing two chains, A (21 residues) and B (30 residues), linked by two disulfide bonds. Insulin is used as a drug to control insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 1). Iletin,Insulin A Chain,Insulin B Chain,Insulin, Regular,Novolin,Sodium Insulin,Soluble Insulin,Chain, Insulin B,Insulin, Sodium,Insulin, Soluble,Regular Insulin
D010179 Pancreas A nodular organ in the ABDOMEN that contains a mixture of ENDOCRINE GLANDS and EXOCRINE GLANDS. The small endocrine portion consists of the ISLETS OF LANGERHANS secreting a number of hormones into the blood stream. The large exocrine portion (EXOCRINE PANCREAS) is a compound acinar gland that secretes several digestive enzymes into the pancreatic ductal system that empties into the DUODENUM.
D002102 Cadaver A dead body, usually a human body. Corpse,Cadavers,Corpses
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003012 Microbial Collagenase A metalloproteinase which degrades helical regions of native collagen to small fragments. Preferred cleavage is -Gly in the sequence -Pro-Xaa-Gly-Pro-. Six forms (or 2 classes) have been isolated from Clostridium histolyticum that are immunologically cross-reactive but possess different sequences and different specificities. Other variants have been isolated from Bacillus cereus, Empedobacter collagenolyticum, Pseudomonas marinoglutinosa, and species of Vibrio and Streptomyces. EC 3.4.24.3. Clostridiopeptidase A,Clostridium histolyticum Collagenase,Collagenase, Microbial,Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum,Collagenase-Like Peptidase,Collalysine,Nucleolysin,Clostridium histolyticum, Collagenase,Collagenase Like Peptidase,Collagenase, Clostridium histolyticum,Peptidase, Collagenase-Like,histolyticum, Collagenase Clostridium
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths

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