Pancreatic islet cell suspensions of newborn rats and the formation of pseudo-islets in culture.

Well preserved pancreatic islet cell suspensions were isolated by trypsin treatment from islets of Langerhans of newborn rats. (Pro)insulin biosynthesis of freshly isolated islet cells can be stimulated by increasing glucose concentrations. In contrast insulin secretion on glucose as the only stimulus is drastically reduced but can be potentiated by 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Within a period of 4-6 days in tissue culture pancreatic islet cells of newborn rats show the tendency to aggregate and form pseudo-islets of different size.