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Updated: Jun 8, 2026
Human Pancreatic Islet Isolation: Part I: Digestion and Collection of Pancreatic Tissue
Published on: May 26, 2009
One hundred human pancreatic islet isolations at Baylor Research Institute
Morihito Takita1, Shinichi Matsumoto, Hirofumi Noguchi
1Baylor Research Institute, Fort Worth Campus, Fort Worth, Texas (Takita, Matsumoto, Noguchi, Sugimoto, Itoh); the Department of Internal Medicine (Shimoda), Department of Surgery (Lamont), and Division of Gastroenterology (Lara), Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas; Baylor Institute for Immunology Research, Dallas, Texas (Chujo); and Baylor Regional Transplant Institute, Dallas, Texas (Onaca, Naziruddin, Klintmalm, Levy).
Maximizing human islet isolation effectiveness is key for islet cell transplantation (ICT). The Baylor Islet Isolation Method (BIIM) significantly improves success rates for both allogeneic and autologous ICT.
Area of Science:
- Transplantation immunology
- Endocrinology
- Surgical innovation
Background:
- Islet cell transplantation (ICT) holds promise for diabetes treatment, but its widespread adoption is limited by variable isolation success.
- Optimizing human islet isolation protocols is crucial for enhancing ICT efficacy and patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze factors influencing human islet isolation success.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Baylor Islet Isolation Method (BIIM) for both allogeneic and autologous ICT.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 100 human islet isolations performed at Baylor Research Institute.
- Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify variables impacting allogeneic ICT success.
- Comparison of islet yields between allogeneic and autologous ICT using the BIIM.
Main Results:
- Seven variables were initially associated with successful allogeneic islet isolation.
- The BIIM, incorporating specific procurement, preservation, and purification techniques, was the only significant predictor of successful isolation (P = 0.02).
- No significant difference in total islet yield was observed between allogeneic (628 ± 84 × 10^3 IE) and autologous (576 ± 49 × 10^3 IE) ICT using the BIIM.
Conclusions:
- The BIIM demonstrates a significant positive impact on the success of human islet isolation.
- The BIIM provides comparable and favorable outcomes for both allogeneic and autologous ICT, supporting its clinical utility.
