Chimeric pancreas

Abstract

Novel methods, tissues and compositions for increasing the pancreatic mass of a mammalian recipient including harvesting immature pancreatic tissue from a mammalian donor and transplanting said tissue into the peritoneal cavity of a mammalian recipient under conditions that allow the pancreatic tissue to become vascularized and mature, thereby developing a functioning chimeric, endocrine pancreas that produces at least insulin in the recipient. The invention also includes mammalian immature pancreatic tissue adapted for transplantation into the peritoneal cavity of a mammalian recipient for increasing the pancreatic mass of the mammalian recipient as well as methods and compositions for treatment of the pancreatic tissue, recipient immunosuppression and recipient co-stimulatory blockade.

1 . Mammalian immature pancreatic tissue adapted for transplantation into the peritoneal cavity of a mammalian recipient for increasing the pancreatic mass of the mammalian recipient, said tissue comprising at least one non-digested, non-disassociated portion of at least one substantially nonvascularized pancreas anlage at least substantially free of antigen presenting cells. 
   
   
       2 . The tissue of  claim 1  wherein said tissue is adapted for transplantation by preparing it for or maintaining it in the cold prior to transplantation and after harvesting. 
   
   
       3 . The tissue of  claim 1  wherein said tissue is adapted for transplantation by contacting said tissue with growth factors. 
   
   
       4 . The tissue of  claim 1  wherein said tissue comprises at least one ventral pancreas anlage. 
   
   
       5 . The tissue of  claim 1  wherein said tissue comprises at least one dorsal pancreas anlage. 
   
   
       6 . The tissue of  claim 1  wherein said tissue comprises at least one whole pancreata.