Impact of culture and cryopreservation on MHC class II antigen expression in canine and porcine islets.

Canine and porcine islets were either cultured for 10 days at 37 degrees C or cryopreserved. The effect of these treatments on MHC class II antigen expression was examined by indirect immunofluorescence test using the class II monoclonal antibody 2MC3. Within untreated canine islets exclusively round shaped cells as leukocytes and monocyte/macrophage like cells with dendritic branches were positive with 2MC3. Porcine islets additionally exhibited strong immunofluorescence of the vascular endothelium. Tissue culture significantly reduced the class II antigen expression in both species. The majority of the untreated canine islets had between 5 and 19 2MC3 positive cells. Cell culture reduced the number of class II positive cells to a maximum of 3 and even 84.9% of the islets were completely negative for class II antigens. Porcine islets showed a total class II antigen loss of the vascular endothelium, whereas leukocytes and monocytes/macrophages remained class II antigen positive. Cryopreservation did not have clear-cut effects on the MHC expression in both species.

The evaluation of neutral density separation utilizing Ficoll-sodium diatrizoate and Nycodenz and centrifugal elutriation in the purification of bovine and canine islet preparations.

This study evaluates the potential of a neutral density separation technique using iodinated gradient media in combination with Ficoll or alone at two different densities for the purification of bovine and canine islets isolated by a continuous digestion-filtration technique. In addition, centrifugal elutriation is applied to the purification of isolated bovine islets. A single density layer of Ficoll-sodium diatrizoate or Nycodenz at densities of 1.080 g/ml or 1.085 g/ml resulted in an recovery of 47.4% to 77.4% bovine islet volume with bovine islet purities ranging from 43.5% to 49.0%. The use of a single density layer of Ficoll-sodium diatrizoate at 1.080 g/ml and Nycodenz at 1.085 g/ml resulted in recoveries of 86.4% and 56.2% canine islet volume with canine islet purities of 58% and 63.5%, respectively. The bovine islet enriched fraction (flow rates 50-90 ml/min at a rotor speed of 200 rpm) obtained by centrifugal elutriation was 20.0 +/- 3.5% pure, the average recovery of bovine islet volume obtained by centrifugal elutriation was 59.0 +/- 10.7%. It is suggest that a further refinement of factors like osmolality, viscosity, pH, ionic composition and temperature of iodinated density gradient media may allow continued improvement of islet purity and recovery obtained by the simple neutral density separation technique.

Characterization of talc and associated minerals.

The unequivocal identification of mineral impurities in talc requires definitive analytical techniques due to the very similar structure of many naturally occurring silicates and the small quantities of associated minerals frequently found. The instrumental methods and techniques extant for this purpose are reviewed. Light microscopy, x-ray diffractometry, and differential thermal analysis have been found to be particularly useful, complementary, and practical for both exploratory and routine determinations of mineral impurities in the talc matrix. When necessary, transmission electron microscopy is recommended for the analysis of mineral components present at sub-trace levels.