Islet cell transplantation: important factors contributing to optimal pancreatic function

This study investigates four factors which are of utmost importance in contributing to optimal function of pancreatic tissue fragment allotransplants. Those being: viability of donor tissue, optimal weight of pancreatic tissue fragments, method of allograft preparation, and site of implantation. Seven groups of unrelated mongrel dogs underwent total pancreatectomy before being randomly assigned to one of the following experimental groups. Group I (n = 10) animals were transplanted with greater than 0.75 g/kg of viable, pancreatic tissue fragments, whereas those in Group II (n = 6) received less than 0.75 g/kg of nonviable pancreatic pieces. In both groups, the donor pancreases were processed without collagenase, before being injected into the renal subcapsular space. Mean survival among Group I animals was 43 +/- 17 days (M +/- SD), while dogs in Group II survived a mean of 2.6 +/- 0.9 days (M +/- SD). Dogs in Group III (n = 5) were injected in the supracapsular peritoneum with greater than 0.75 g/kg of viable, collagenase-free pancreatic tissue fragments, and mean survival was noted to be 3.1 +/- 1.2 days (M +/- SD). Recipients in Group IV (n = 5) received greater than 0.75 g/kg of nonviable pancreatic tissue pieces prepared without collagenase in the renal subcapsular space, resulting in a mean survival of 2.8 +/- 0.9 days (M +/- SD). Group V (n = 6) animals survived a mean of 20 +/- 18 days (M +/- SD) when transplanted with greater than 0.75 g/kg of viable pancreatic tissue fragments prepared with collagenase, in the renal subcapsular space.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)