[Effect of xenotransplantation of islet cell culture on the course of alloxan diabetes in rats fed a diet varying in protein content].

The authors present data on the protective effect of newborn rabbits pancreatic islet cell culture xenotransplantation of Langerhans' islet beta-cells of rats with alloxan diabetes. This effect was the most marked in rats fed diets with normal or increased protein content. The authors discuss a possible stimulating effect of rabbit islet cell culture xenotransplantation on regeneration processes in recipient rat pancreatic islets.

[Cultures of islet cells obtained from the fetal bovine pancreas].

The pancreas from bovine fetuses of 27-35 cm crown-rump length were used as a source of islet cell cultures. Pancreatic tissue was treated by collagenase, filtered through the metal sieve and incubated in MEM for 24 h. Using this method, cultures similar to so-called pseudo-islets were obtained.

[Effect of pancreatic islet cell culture allotransplantation on the clinical course of proliferative diabetic retinopathy].

The authors describe the effect of intramuscular human fetal pancreatic islet cell (IC) culture transplantation on the clinical course of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Four patients with the preterminal stage of PDR were followed-up no less than 2 yrs. after transplantation.

[Floating cultures obtained from the thyroid of human fetuses].

Floating cultures were obtained from fetal human thyroid. The method for preparing the cultures was described. The floating cultures finally consist of epithelial cell group--thyrocytes, stroma and one or some layers of fibroblastic cover.

[Preparation of liver cultures from human embryos].

The cultures were obtained from 9-12-week-old human embryonic liver. 24-36 hours after seeding the cultures containing a multilayer focus of adhesion and a monolayer growth zone were formed. The growth zone contained hepatocytes with bile pigment granules in the cytoplasm.

[Results of transplantation of pancreatic islet cell cultures to patients with diabetes mellitus].

Altogether 110 intramuscular pancreatic islet cell (PIC) culture transplantations were performed in diabetes mellitus patients from April 1981 to May 1984 at the Research Institute of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, USSR Ministry of Health: 65 allotransplantations of human fetal PIC and 45 xenotransplantations fo swine fetal PIC. Immunosuppressive therapy was not employed. The paper is concerned with an analysis of a therapeutic effect of the IC cell cull culture transplantation on 30 patients who were followed-up for not less than 1 year after operation.

[Floating cell cultures of the fetal pancreas].

A simple method for preparing human and animal fetal pancreatic cell cultures has been developed. It is based on enzymatic treatment of the fetal pancreatic tissue with collalitine in combination with microdissection. As a result of subsequent cultivation there form floating cytotypic and organotypic cultures consisting mainly of B cells in different phases of the secretory cycle.

[Intrasplenic xenotransplantation of human fetal pancreatic islet cell cultures in rats with experimental diabetes mellitus].

Islet cell cultures obtained from the pancreas of human embryos were transplanted to the spleen pulp of rats with alloxan diabetes mellitus. During 1-2 weeks after transplantation, 6 of the 8 recipients manifested a decrease in glycemia to normal or almost normal. The antidiabetic effect of xenotransplantation of islet cell cultures was well preserved throughout the entire observation period (up to 4 months).