ISLET CELL BIOLOGY CORE: Director - F. MatschinskyIt is the purpose of this core to assist investigators who currently study or have plans to studyindependently or collaboratively various aspects of pancreatic islet cell biology. In order toaccomplish this goal the Core provides four services. First, it will perform extra corporalphenotyping of the endocrine pancreas of mouse and rat using the intact isolated perfused orminced perifused pancreas. Second, it will isolate, culture, and functionally assess pancreatic isletsof rat and mouse including batch incubations, perifusions, respirometry, measurements of Caj++, theP-potential (ATP, ADP, AMP and Pi) and other metabolites, hormone contents and release. Third, itmaintains a broad and well characterized stock of transformed islet cells, grows large batches ofsuch cells or generates pseudo islets by embedding such cells into agarose beads for dynamicstudies of metabolism and hormone release. Fourth and most important, it provides in depthconsultation and helps develop strategies how to use the services of the core optimally or willattempt to modify available technologies to solve particular problems. The islet cell resource permitsthe broad application of approaches which are too labor intensive and technically too demanding tobe maintained by the average single laboratory. The core offers training to those who have theresources and wish to establish approved procedures and technologies in their own laboratory.Costs are reduced through a large scale operation. The Core functions thus as a research supportand educational unit for an active group of investigators with somewhat diverse interests, andfosters interdisciplinary islet research.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 720 publications
