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Updated: Oct 5, 2025

Inguinal Subcutaneous White Adipose Tissue ISWAT Transplantation Model of Murine Islets
Published on: February 16, 2020
Establishment of a Long-Term Survival Swine Model for the Observation of Transplanted Islets: a Preliminary Step in
Kohei Miura1, Takashi Kobayashi2, Zhengkun Zhang1
1Division of Digestive and General Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata City, Japan.
Background:
Evaluation of an experimental and preclinical islet transplantation (IsletTx) model to elucidate associated clinical problems is vital. This study aimed to introduce a simple methodology for producing a swine autologous IsletTx model as a preliminary step in an allogeneic transplant experiment.
Methods And Materials:
Twenty-seven pigs were included in the study. Total pancreatectomy (TP) was performed in 8 pigs (TP group), TP with autologous IsletTx in 9 (TP + IsletTx group), and distal pancreatectomy (DP) with autologous IsletTx in 10 (DP + IsletTx group). An open biopsy was performed on all pigs during postoperative day 14 using an infrared imaging (IRI) system. Laboratory data and postoperative survival were analyzed and compared according to the procedures done.
Results:
Postoperative survival rate was significantly higher in the pigs with autologous IsletTx than in those without (P = .026). There were no significant differences in survival between the TP + IsletTx and DP + IsletTx groups (P = .746). Significant hyperglycemia was not observed in both groups, but the DP + IsletTx group remained relatively stable throughout the postoperative course. There were no differences in serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels between the 2 groups. By selective liver lobe transplantation and administration of the IRI system, localization of the transplanted islets via open biopsy was achieved.
Conclusions:
We successfully developed an autologous IsletTx model and an open biopsy system using a swine model. This study will aid in the development of an allogeneic IsletTx experiment that may improve transplantation outcomes.

