Islet Cells
Islet Cells - Related Videos
07:21
Pancreatic Islets Isolation through Collagenase Perfusion: An Enzymatic Method to Isolate Pancreatic Islet Cells
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2023
Pancreatic islets, also called the Islets of Langerhans, are a cluster of endocrine cells which produces hormones for glucose regulation and other important biological functions. This protocol explains a method for isolating pancreatic islets by first perfusing collagenase via Ampulla of Vater to digest the exocrine pancreatic tissue and a simplified density gradient centrifugation to purify the islets from mice.
09:35
A High-content In Vitro Pancreatic Islet β-cell Replication Discovery Platform
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Cited by 5 •
2016
Critical challenges for the diabetes research field are to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate islet β-cell replication and to develop methods for stimulating β-cell regeneration. Herein a high-content screening method to identify and assess the β-cell replication-promoting activity of small molecules is presented.
07:04
Effective Isolation of Functional Islets from Neonatal Mouse Pancreas
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Cited by 19 •
2017
We describe a protocol herein for isolating intact islets from neonatal mice. Pancreata were partially digested with collagenase, followed by washing and hand picking. 20 - 80 islet clusters can be obtained per pancreas from newly born mice, which are suitable for several islet studies.
03:33
Grafting Pancreatic Islets: A Method to Implant Pancreatic Islets into the Anterior Chamber of the Mouse Eye for In Vivo Imaging
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2023
This video describes the protocol for grafting human pancreatic islets into the anterior chamber of the mouse’s eye to monitor revascularization of human islet grafts in vivo. It also helps to understand the contribution of recipient versus donor cells in promoting the encapsulation and vascularization of the graft.
03:48
Murine Model of Islet Transplantation: A Surgical Method to Infuse Pancreatic Islets in Portal Vein and Prevention of Postoperative Bleeding
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2025
In this video, we describe a procedure to infuse pancreatic islet cells into the hepatic portal vein, followed by application of gel foam to successfully prevent bleeding. Postoperative bleeding is a common cause of high mortality during islet transplantation.
FAQs
Blood-glucose regulation depends on opposing hormone responses. When glucose rises, beta-cell insulin release promotes glucose uptake and storage, whereas low glucose triggers alpha-cell glucagon secretion to stimulate glucose release. This reciprocal arrangement helps maintain metabolic balance across changing glucose conditions, making interactions between these populations central to understanding islet dysfunction in diabetes.
Delta cells contribute control rather than acting as the main glucose-raising or glucose-lowering population. Their somatostatin secretion modulates neighboring hormone secretion within the pancreatic islets. This local regulatory role is important because islet behavior reflects interactions among cell types, not only the independent actions of beta or alpha cells.
Following islet cell development can show how specialized endocrine populations become capable of coordinated metabolic regulation. Comparing normal function with dysfunction helps connect cellular changes to diabetes and related metabolic disorders. This developmental and functional perspective also supports efforts to produce replacement beta cells and evaluate strategies aimed at restoring glucose control.
Islet transplantation links knowledge of pancreatic endocrine cells to therapeutic development. It is one application of islet cell biology identified for advancing diabetes treatment and regenerative medicine. In this context, studying coordinated hormone-producing populations helps frame transplantation as a strategy connected to impaired glucose regulation, rather than as an isolated procedure.
Stem cell-derived beta cells connect developmental biology with regenerative medicine. By focusing on beta-cell populations, researchers can investigate how insulin-producing cells might contribute to diabetes treatment. This approach complements islet transplantation and illustrates how knowledge of specialized islet cells can guide efforts to develop cell-based strategies for restoring metabolic regulation.
Drug screening uses islet cell biology to evaluate candidate approaches relevant to glucose regulation and diabetes. Because beta, alpha, and delta cells contribute differently to metabolic control, their biology provides context for considering effects on hormone-related processes. This application extends islet research beyond explaining disease toward identifying treatment possibilities.