Islet Isolation from the porcine pancreas, using a continuous digestion method

Abstract: This paper describes a method for pig islet isolation with the following original features: first, we set up a reproducible, rapid, sterile, and simple method for pancreas procurement and preparation with double duct incannulation. Second, we demonstrated that UW solution can be used for pancreas digestion; third, we designed an original method for pancreas digestion, derived from the method originally described by Ricordi, except that a double digestion circuit made it possible to digest continuously, within one step, the pancreas, which makes the method operator-independent; finally we designed a simple method for islet purification based on a two-layer Histopaque/ UW density gradient and the use of the COBE 2991 cell processor.