Biomaterial Database

Functional analysis of human islets of Langerhans maintained in culture. 2012

Shanta J Persaud, and Bo Liu, and Peter M Jones

King's College London, London, UK. shanta.persaud@kcl.ac.uk

Islets of Langerhans isolated from experimental animals, such as mice and rats, have contributed much to our understanding of the mechanisms by which pancreatic β-cells secrete insulin in a regulated manner, and this knowledge is important in identifying potential novel therapies for Type 2 diabetes. However, although many of the signal transduction pathways identified in rodent islets are common to humans, some critical differences have been demonstrated experimentally. It is, therefore, essential that experiments are performed using islets isolated from human pancreas to provide robust data defining whether the key observations made in rodents are also applicable to the human situation. The rate-limiting factor in this area of research is the supply of high-quality human islets isolated from pancreases retrieved from organ donors, and the protocols described in this chapter aim to provide methods of maximising information that can be obtained when human islets are maintained in culture.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007515	Islets of Langerhans	Irregular microscopic structures consisting of cords of endocrine cells that are scattered throughout the PANCREAS among the exocrine acini. Each islet is surrounded by connective tissue fibers and penetrated by a network of capillaries. There are four major cell types. The most abundant beta cells (50-80%) secrete INSULIN. Alpha cells (5-20%) secrete GLUCAGON. PP cells (10-35%) secrete PANCREATIC POLYPEPTIDE. Delta cells (~5%) secrete SOMATOSTATIN.	Islands of Langerhans,Islet Cells,Nesidioblasts,Pancreas, Endocrine,Pancreatic Islets,Cell, Islet,Cells, Islet,Endocrine Pancreas,Islet Cell,Islet, Pancreatic,Islets, Pancreatic,Langerhans Islands,Langerhans Islets,Nesidioblast,Pancreatic Islet
D002470	Cell Survival	The span of viability of a cell characterized by the capacity to perform certain functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, some form of responsiveness, and adaptability.	Cell Viability,Cell Viabilities,Survival, Cell,Viabilities, Cell,Viability, Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D046509	Tissue Culture Techniques	A technique for maintaining or growing TISSUE in vitro, usually by DIFFUSION, perifusion, or PERFUSION. The tissue is cultured directly after removal from the host without being dispersed for cell culture.	Culture Technique, Tissue,Culture Techniques, Tissue,Tissue Culture Technique
D055785	Gene Knockdown Techniques	The artificial induction of GENE SILENCING by the use of RNA INTERFERENCE to reduce the expression of a specific gene. It includes the use of DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA, such as SMALL INTERFERING RNA and RNA containing HAIRPIN LOOP SEQUENCE, and ANTI-SENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES.	Gene Knock Down Techniques,Gene Knock Down,Gene Knock-Down,Gene Knock-Down Techniques,Gene Knockdown,Gene Knock Downs,Gene Knock-Down Technique,Gene Knock-Downs,Gene Knockdown Technique,Gene Knockdowns,Knock Down, Gene,Knock Downs, Gene,Knock-Down Technique, Gene,Knock-Down Techniques, Gene,Knock-Down, Gene,Knock-Downs, Gene,Knockdown Technique, Gene,Knockdown Techniques, Gene,Knockdown, Gene,Knockdowns, Gene,Technique, Gene Knock-Down,Technique, Gene Knockdown,Techniques, Gene Knock-Down,Techniques, Gene Knockdown
D034741	RNA, Small Interfering	Small double-stranded, non-protein coding RNAs (21-31 nucleotides) involved in GENE SILENCING functions, especially RNA INTERFERENCE (RNAi). Endogenously, siRNAs are generated from dsRNAs (RNA, DOUBLE-STRANDED) by the same ribonuclease, Dicer, that generates miRNAs (MICRORNAS). The perfect match of the siRNAs' antisense strand to their target RNAs mediates RNAi by siRNA-guided RNA cleavage. siRNAs fall into different classes including trans-acting siRNA (tasiRNA), repeat-associated RNA (rasiRNA), small-scan RNA (scnRNA), and Piwi protein-interacting RNA (piRNA) and have different specific gene silencing functions.	RNA, Scan,Repeat-Associated siRNA,Scan RNA,Small Scan RNA,Trans-Acting siRNA,siRNA,siRNA, Repeat-Associated,siRNA, Trans-Acting,Short Hairpin RNA,Short Interfering RNA,Small Hairpin RNA,Small Interfering RNA,scnRNA,shRNA,tasiRNA,Hairpin RNA, Short,Hairpin RNA, Small,Interfering RNA, Short,Interfering RNA, Small,RNA, Short Hairpin,RNA, Short Interfering,RNA, Small Hairpin,RNA, Small Scan,Repeat Associated siRNA,Scan RNA, Small,Trans Acting siRNA,siRNA, Repeat Associated,siRNA, Trans Acting