Experimental Rat Pancreas Transplant: Surgical Technique and Immunological Considerations

Vascularized whole pancreas transplantation in the rat was performed on the abdomen using a cuff technique for vascular anastomoses. Two different exocrine drainage procedures, either intestinal or ureter drainage, were used. In the isograft transplant models, hyperglycemia was ameliorated immediately after transplantation and all of the grafts functioned during the observation period. In the allograft transplant models without immunosuppression, graft rejection, as defined by recurrence of hyperglycemia (blood glucose > 200 mg/dl) occurred 6-9 days post-transplant. Allograft rejection could be delayed approximately 1 month after transplant with short-term use of FK506. These different models, using either intestinal or ureter exocrine drainage, are similar to dominant clinical pancreas transplantation with enteric exocrine drainage or urinary tract drainage, respectively. It is thus concluded that whole pancreas transplant with either intestinal or ureter exocrine drainage is an ideal model for physiological and immunological experimental studies in pancreas transplantation.