Excellent effect of three-dimensional culture condition on pancreatic islets

Culture of cells in simulated microgravity may be potentially beneficial to the fields of cell biology and somatic cell therapy. We aimed to examine three-dimensional culture condition on pancreatic islets.

Islets of Langerhans were cultured in conditions of stasis, microgravity, and microgravity with a polyglycolic acid (PGA) fibrous scaffold. After 5 days in culture, islets were transplanted into the leg muscles of streptozotocin-treated diabetic Wistar rats. The blood glucose and insulin content were determined from the tail vein blood of recipients. The grafts were then frozen, dried, and coated for analysis by scanning electron microscopy.

Grafts cultured in the three-dimensional conditions (simulated microgravity in the presence or absence of a PGA fibrous scaffold) were capable of significantly normalizing insulin production and blood glucose concentration when compared to control grafts (p<0.017). Scanning electron microscopy showed that the transplanted islets from three-dimensional culture groups demonstrated normal morphology with extracellular matrix on the surface. Islets in the PGA group exhibited well adhesion to PGA scaffolds.

The three-dimensional culture conditions significantly improved the function and morphology of the grafts. The function and morphology of the grafts in the microgravity with a scaffold group was the excellent one.