Biomaterial Database

Intercellular communication and maintenance of islet cell mass--implications for islet transplantation. 1993

P Metrakos, and S Yuan, and D Agapitos, and L Rosenberg

Pancreatic Diseases Center, Montreal General Hospital, Quebec, Canada.

BACKGROUND The major emphasis in islet transplantation has been the development of methods to enhance islet purity. This focus assumes that islets do not require support from other cellular elements of the pancreas. We chose to examine a possible duct-islet interaction because of the embryologic origin of islets from ductal epithelium. METHODS Duct and islet cells were prepared by collagenization of hamster pancreas and purified on a bovine serum albumin gradient. Primary duct cultures were passaged twice. Duct-conditioned medium was collected from the tertiary cultures. Three groups of cultures were established: group 1, 100 islets/plate in minimal medium (Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/F12); group 2, 100 islets + 40 duct fragments/plate in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/F12; and group 3, 100 islets/plate+duct-conditioned medium. After a 3-day incubation, tritiated thymidine (1 microCi/ml) was added for 24 hours. The islets were separated from the ducts by handpicking and then sonicated. DNA was measured (microgram) fluorometrically and tritiated thymidine incorporation, a measure of cell proliferation, was determined in trichloroacetic acid-precipitated material by liquid scintillation. Data (mean +/- SEM) were compared by two-tailed Student's t test. RESULTS Tritiated thymidine incorporation into islet cells in minimal medium (81.1 +/- 24.6 disintegrations per minute [dpm]/microgram DNA [n = 8 plates]) was less than 25% (p < 0.001) of that of islet cells cocultured with ducts (323.2 +/- 54.5 dpm/micrograms DNA [n = 6]) or with duct-conditioned medium (389.7 +/- 27.6 dpm/micrograms DNA [n = 5]). CONCLUSIONS Pancreatic duct epithelium can stimulate islet cell proliferation in a paracrine manner.

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
D008647	Mesocricetus	A genus in the order Rodentia and family Cricetidae. One species, Mesocricetus auratus or golden hamster is widely used in biomedical research.	Hamsters, Golden,Hamsters, Golden Syrian,Hamsters, Syrian,Mesocricetus auratus,Syrian Golden Hamster,Syrian Hamster,Golden Hamster,Golden Hamster, Syrian,Golden Hamsters,Golden Syrian Hamsters,Hamster, Golden,Hamster, Syrian,Hamster, Syrian Golden,Syrian Hamsters
D010183	Pancreatic Ducts	Ducts that collect PANCREATIC JUICE from the PANCREAS and supply it to the DUODENUM.	Duct of Santorini,Duct of Wirsung,Duodenal Papilla, Minor,Wirsung's Duct,Accessory Pancreatic Duct,Accessory Pancreatic Duct of Santorini,Main Pancreatic Duct,Santorini's Duct,Accessory Pancreatic Ducts,Duct, Accessory Pancreatic,Duct, Main Pancreatic,Duct, Pancreatic,Duct, Santorini's,Duct, Wirsung's,Ducts, Pancreatic,Main Pancreatic Ducts,Minor Duodenal Papilla,Minor Duodenal Papillas,Pancreatic Duct,Pancreatic Duct, Accessory,Pancreatic Duct, Main,Pancreatic Ducts, Accessory,Papilla, Minor Duodenal,Santorini Duct,Wirsung Duct,Wirsungs Duct
D002450	Cell Communication	Any of several ways in which living cells of an organism communicate with one another, whether by direct contact between cells or by means of chemical signals carried by neurotransmitter substances, hormones, and cyclic AMP.	Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interaction,Cell Communications,Cell Interactions,Cell to Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interactions,Communication, Cell,Communications, Cell,Interaction, Cell,Interaction, Cell-to-Cell,Interactions, Cell,Interactions, Cell-to-Cell
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D004848	Epithelium	The layers of EPITHELIAL CELLS which cover the inner and outer surfaces of the cutaneous, mucus, and serous tissues and glands of the body.	Mesothelium,Epithelial Tissue,Mesothelial Tissue,Epithelial Tissues,Mesothelial Tissues,Tissue, Epithelial,Tissue, Mesothelial,Tissues, Epithelial,Tissues, Mesothelial
D005260	Female		Females
D006224	Cricetinae	A subfamily in the family MURIDAE, comprising the hamsters. Four of the more common genera are Cricetus, CRICETULUS; MESOCRICETUS; and PHODOPUS.	Cricetus,Hamsters,Hamster
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D016381	Islets of Langerhans Transplantation	The transference of pancreatic islets within an individual, between individuals of the same species, or between individuals of different species.	Grafting, Islets of Langerhans,Pancreatic Islets Transplantation,Transplantation, Islets of Langerhans,Transplantation, Pancreatic Islets,Islands of Langerhans Transplantation,Islands of Pancreas Transplantation,Islet Transplantation,Transplantation, Islands of Langerhans,Transplantation, Islands of Pancreas,Transplantation, Islet,Islet Transplantations,Islets Transplantation, Pancreatic,Transplantations, Islet