[Monolayer culture of pancreatic beta cells of newborn rats: Insulin secretion in vitro and attempt at beta-cell transplantation in experimental diabetes].

Partially purified beta cell monolayer cultures were prepared from the pancrease of neonatal Wistar rats by dissociating the cells with a trypsin-collagenase solution. The cultures were grown in medium 199 containing a 10% fetal calf serum and 100 or 300 mg/100 ml glucose. Insulin release from the primary cultures during 12 days was 15 to 20 microunit/culture/day when the cells were grown in the medium containing 300 mg/100 ml glucose. When glucose concentration in the medium was decreased from 300 to 100 mg/ml insulin release fell to 2--5 microunit/culture/day. Theophylline stimulated insulin release in a short-time experiment. Transplantation of a 6--8-day culture in diabetic rats reduced the blood glucose concentration for 1 to 2 days.