Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2005; 11(36): 5714-5717
Published online Sep 28, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i36.5714
Intracerebral xenotransplantation of semipermeable membrane- encapsuled pancreatic islets
Zhao-Liang Xin, Song-Lin Ge, Xiao-Kang Wu, Yan-Jie Jia, Han-Tao Hu
Zhao-Liang Xin, Neurosurgery Department of Yiwu Central Hospital, 3rd Faculty of Medical College, Zhejiang University, Yiwu 322000, Zhejiang Province, China
Song-Lin Ge, 3rd Faculty of Medical College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang Province, China
Xiao-Kang Wu, Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Railway University, Shanghai, China
Yan-Jie Jia, Han-Tao Hu, Department of Anatomy, Medical College, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710007, Shaanxi Province, China Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province, No. 98SZ-064
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Zhao-Liang Xin, Yiwu Central Hospital, Yiwu 322000, Zhejiang Province, China. wxk555@sohu.com
Telephone: +86-579-5209626 Fax: +86-579-5209618
Received: August 26, 2004
Revised: December 15, 2004
Accepted: December 21, 2004
Published online: September 28, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To identify the decreasing effect of xenotransplantion in combination with privileged sites on rejection and death of biological semipermeable membrane-(BSM) encapsulated implanted islets.

METHODS: After the BSM experiment in vitro, BSM-encapsulated SD rat’s islet-like cell clusters (ICCs) were xenotransplanted into normal dog’s brain. Morphological changes were observed under light and transmission electron microscope. The islets and apoptosis of implanted B cells were identified by insulin-TUNEL double staining.

RESULTS: The BSM used in our study had a favorable permeability, some degree of rigidity, lighter foreign body reaction and toxicity. The grafts consisted of epithelioid cells and loose connective tissue. Severe infiltration of inflammatory cells was not observed. The implanted ICCs were identified 2 mo later and showed typical apoptosis.

CONCLUSION: BSM xenotransplantation in combination with the privileged site can inhibit the rejection of implanted heterogeneous ICCs, and death of implanted heterogeneous B cells is associated with apoptosis.

Keywords: Islets of Langerhans; Xenotransplantation; Brain; Semipermeable membrane