Core A: Islet Production

University Of California, San Francisco, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract/Summary Core A: Islet Production Core. Islet function and integrity represent a critical node in glucose homeostasis. The Islet Production Core supports research by DRC investigators who analyze the functional responses to genetic or pharmacologic interventions in islets isolated from pancreata of mice and humans. The UCSF DRC also has a very strong islet immunology and transplantation program, for which isolated islets are essential for studies oriented towards counteracting islet autoimmunity and minimizing transplant rejection. Purpose: The DRC Islet Production Core consolidates, enhances, and disseminates expertise and resources in islet preparation to DRC investigators who currently study or have plans to study pancreatic islet cell biology, function and/or transplantation. The Core provides the following services: 1. Islet Purification. Processing and preparation of human and mouse islets for use in islet biology, autoimmunity, and transplantation studies. 2. Islet Functional Analysis. Biological and biochemical analyses of insulin production and other functional aspects of human and mouse islets under different conditions to assess islet activity and preparation quality. Benefits to DRC Community: DRC investigators need not commit time and resources to establishing expertise in the highly specialized technique of islet isolation within their own laboratories. The uniform islet preparation methods used by different DRC investigators also can enable cross-study comparisons to generate unanticipated linkages between studies. Over the last 3.5 years, the UCSF Islet Production Core isolated islets from over 903 mice per year, serving >25 different laboratories. Other non-UCSF laboratories are also users of the Islet Core, including labs from Stanford, UC Irvine, and University of Arizona. UCSF also has a leading clinical islet transplantation program. The GMP facilities developed for human islet transplants have been leveraged by the DRC to make human islets available for research studies. Despite not have DRC support over the last 3.5 years, the Core distributed 5.8 million Islet Equivalents (IEQ) from 23 human research pancreata to DRC investigators locally and around the country. Technology Development: Unique capabilities in the isolation of human and mouse islets facilitate translational research by Core users at UCSF and throughout the region. The DRC also has robust programs, funded through the DRC grant, that have successfully developed improvements in the monitoring of islet preparation and function. This enables the activities of the Core to benefit not only translational and basic research, but also clinical trials and the patients participating in them. The DRC Islet Production Core has improved and has benefited directly by the equipment funds and development projects provided by the DRC.