Tissue culture isolation and preservation of human cadaveric pancreatic islets

Six specimens of human cadaveric pancreas were collagenase-dispersed and placed in tissue culture. Media were changed at 2 day intervals and assayed for insulin and amylase. Experiments were terminated after 8 days, and phase-contrast and light microscopy were performed on cultured tissue. Insulin content in media remained high for 6 days in five cases and for 8 days in four experiments; this correlated directly with morphologic viability of cultured tissue. Media amylase fell to zero after 4 days in four cases and after 6 days in two cases. These data support the concept that tissue culture may be an efficient method for (1) islet cell purification, since acinar tissue and amylase activity disappear, and (2) islet preservation.