Optimization of In Vitro Cultures of Neonatal Porcine Islets Pre-transplantation

• Author / Creator

  Sidhu, Satinder K.

• Islet transplantation is an attractive method to achieve blood glucose homeostasis. However, β-cell function declines over time. Therefore, it is necessary to explore strategies to enhance the β-cell mass and function. Also, because there is a severe shortage of human cadaver tissue, alternative sources of insulin secreting tissue need to be examined. Neonatal porcine islet (NPI) tissue has emerged as an attractive alternative source of β-cells. The aim of this thesis was to optimize the culturing conditions of NPIs pre-transplantation so that the available tissue can be used as efficiently and economically as possible.
  The results from this study indicate that the treatment of NPI cultures with z-VAD-FMK, a pan caspase inhibitor and general protease inhibitor significantly enhances β-cell survival. Additionally, the optimum length of culturing NPIs pre-transplantation appears to be 3-5 days. Since widespread cell death stimulates immunogenic response, this treatment also has the potential benefit of reducing immunosuppression needs in the recipient.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Protease inhibitor
  • Neonatal porcine islet cultures
  • Neonatal porcine islets
  • Caspase inhibitor
  • Islet xenotransplantation

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R35W3H

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.