Islet cell isolation in experimental d,l-ethionine pancreatitis in dogs.

Bulk isolation of islets of Langerhans for biochemical studies or transplantation has generally been associated with significant or even prohibitive contamination by acinar tissue. High-purity islet preparations are associated with an extremely low yield. The acinar tissue can be ablated with d,l-ethionine, but previously, this tactic has been restricted to rodents because of toxicity problems in larger animals. A dosage regimen in dogs which reduces amylase content of the pancreas to 0.3% of normal with complete preservation of insulin content is reported. Ductal perfusion with collagenase permits the recovery of 45% of the islet cell mass as determined by extractable insulin. These islets prove functional in in vitro perifusion studies and in allografts.