Multi-lot analysis of custom collagenase enzyme blend in human islet isolations.

Introduction: Variability currently in Liberase HI from lot to lot limits the ability to effectively isolate islets with consistency. Roche Diagnostics Inc (Indianapolis, Ind, USA) has developed a Custom Collagenase enzyme blend in hopes that producing collagenase II and I and thermolysin separately will eliminate variability. In this study we examined the variability in Custom Collagenase lots in respect to isolation results and isolation success rates and compared those to Liberase HI.

The standardization of pancreatic donors for islet isolations.

Background: Islet transplantation has proven to be a successful treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to establish an algorithm by which the combination of the donor quality and pancreas quality was given a numerical score from 0 to 100 for use in determining the quality of a pancreas for islet isolation.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 326 pancreases and the outcomes of their respective isolations.

The standardization of pancreatic donors for islet isolation.

Introduction: Islet transplantation has proven to be a successful treatment for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The aim of this study was to establish an algorithm by which the combination of the donor quality and pancreas quality was given a numerical score from 0 to 100 for use in determining the quality of a pancreas for islet isolation.

Methods: In this study we retrospectively analyzed 326 pancreata and the outcomes of their respective isolations.

Methods of human islet culture for transplantation.

The ability to maintain isolated human islet preparations in tissue culture has recently been adopted by most islet transplant centers, and improves the safety as well as the practicality of islet transplantation. Maintaining islet viability and recovery, however, remains challenging in a clinical setting, due to stringent conditions required for culture. Islet culture is further complicated by the fact that islets do not form a monolayer.

Variation in human islet viability based on different membrane integrity stains.

Membrane integrity fluorescent staining is used routinely to evaluate islet viability. Results are used as one of the determining factors in islet product release criteria, and are used to assess the efficacy of different culture conditions. Recently, it has been observed that there is variation in the viability staining of freshly isolated islets based on which viability assay is used.

Methods of Human Islet Culture for Transplantation.

The ability to maintain isolated human islet preparations in tissue culture has recently been adopted by most islet transplant centers, and improves the safety as well as the practicality of islet transplantation. Maintaining islet viability and recovery, however, remains challenging in a clinical setting, due to stringent conditions required for culture. Islet culture is further complicated by the fact that islets do not form a monolayer.