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Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Isolation, Culture, and Imaging of Human Fetal Pancreatic Cell Clusters
Published on: May 19, 2014
Survival and B-cell function of neonatal pig pancreatic islet-like cell clusters in an extracellular matrix
H Ohgawara1, N Mochizuki, S Karibe
1Diabetes Center, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
Insights
Nicotinamide enhances pancreatic islet-like cell cluster (ICC) survival in extracellular matrix cultures. However, its effects on insulin secretion are amplified by caerulein or IBMX, potentially impairing glucose responsiveness.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Endocrinology
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Pancreatic islet-like cell clusters (ICCs) are crucial for insulin production.
- Maintaining ICC function in culture is challenging.
- Nicotinamide has shown potential in preventing extracellular matrix degradation by ICCs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate optimal conditions for embedded culture of ICCs in an extracellular matrix.
- To maintain both the function and insulin content of cultured ICCs.
- To evaluate the impact of nicotinamide, caerulein, and IBMX on ICCs.
Main Methods:
- ICCs were formed from pig pancreas cells and embedded in an extracellular matrix.
- Cultures were maintained in RPMI 1640 with nicotinamide, fetal bovine serum, and D-glucose.
- Additives including IBMX and caerulein were tested to assess their effects.
Main Results:
- Embedded ICCs in nicotinamide-containing medium with caerulein showed higher insulin accumulation but impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.
- ICCs cultured with IBMX and nicotinamide exhibited increased insulin accumulation but lower insulin content and impaired glucose response compared to caerulein-treated ICCs.
- Nicotinamide's effects on ICC survival and function were amplified by caerulein or IBMX.
Conclusions:
- The combination of nicotinamide with either caerulein or IBMX influences ICC insulin content and secretion.
- While nicotinamide supports ICC survival, its interaction with other agents may compromise glucose-stimulated insulin release.
- Further research is needed to optimize culture conditions for functional ICCs.
Abstract:
Islet-like cell clusters (ICCs), formed from single cells of pig pancreas in suspension culture, were embedded in an extracellular matrix. It was recently reported that nicotinamide prevented dissolution of the extracellular matrix by the ICCs. In this experiment, various conditions for embedded culture of ICCs in an extracellular matrix were studied, in an attempt to maintain the function as well as the extracted insulin content of culture specimens. The ICCs in the matrix were refed with RPMI 1640, containing 10 mM nicotinamide, 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 11 mM D-glucose and with or without 0.1 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) or 1.0 micrograms/ml caerulein. A comparison between the different culture media showed that embedded ICCs, maintained in RPMI 1640 with caerulein, in the presence of nicotinamide, had higher insulin content accumulation than when maintained in medium containing nicotinamide alone, but had impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. In the medium containing IBMX and nicotinamide, embedded ICCs showed higher insulin accumulation but lower insulin content, compared to ICCs maintained in the presence of caerulein, and also showed impaired glucose-stimulated insulin release. Thus, the effect of nicotinamide on the survival and function of B-cells is amplified by the presence of caerulein or IBMX.
