Organ Explant Culture of Adult Syrian Golden Hamster Pancreas

An organ explant culture system has been developed for long term maintenance of adult pancreatic tissue from the Syrian golden hamster. Gastric and duodenal lobe explants of up to 0.5 cm2 size were placed in tissue culture dishes (60 mm2) on Gelfoam sponge rafts to which was added 5 ml of CMRL medium 1066 supplemented with heat inactivated newborn bovine serum, L-glutamine, hydrocortisone, insulin, and antibiotics. Dishes were placed in a controlled atmosphere chamber, which was gassed with 45% O2, 50% N2, and 5% CO2 and incubated at 36.5 degrees C. Viability of the tissues was determined by light and electron microscopy as well as by [3]thymidine incorporation. Explants were viable for up to 70 d. Zymogen granule-containing cells characteristic of acinar cells and mucus-containing cells characteristic of ductal cells were present throughout this period. However, endocrine cells were only present for the 1st wk in culture.