Comparison of Endocrine Secretion by Monolayer Cultures - Derived by Different Procedures from Neonatal Hamster and Rat Pancreas[*]

Abstract

Monolayer cultures derived from neonatal hamster or rat pancreas by two different epithelioid cell-enriching gravity sedimentation procedures varied in ability to maintain uniform levels of insulin secretion with increased culture age. Rat pancreatic cultures were superior in this respect to identically derived hamster preparations, depending on the preparative procedure employed. Quantitative differences in the temporal pattern of insulin secretion by different rat pancreatic culture preparations were ascribed to plating cell density and consequent terminal cell density as a function of preparative procedure such that reduced densities favored sustained secretory levels. These findings suggest the importance of tissue species and preparative procedure in deriving pancreatic monolayer cultures capable of sustained levels of insulin secretion with age.

Key words

Pancreatic Monolayer Cultures, Hamster, Rat - Secretion, Insulin, Glucagon - Culture Cell Density-Dependent Inhibition

1 Supported in part by a research grant from the Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A. Part of a dissertation submitted by David A. Gapp to Boston University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

1 Supported in part by a research grant from the Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A. Part of a dissertation submitted by David A. Gapp to Boston University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

2 Present address: The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, U.S.A.