Current Topics in TransplantationExperimental studiesSubcapsular Implantation of Pancreatic Islets in Syngeneic, Allogeneic, and Xenogeneic Mice

•Islet transplantation has been a diabetes research field in the recent few decades.•Kidney subcapsular implantation of pancreatic islets in mice is widely used.•A methodology for kidney subcapsular islet transplantation in mice is introduced.•Transplantation in mice can serve as references for further diabetes-related research.

BackgroundReliable and reproducible transplantation is essential to the success of a number of particular investigations. Renal subcapsule is the most selected site for islet transplantation mainly owing to its easy access, readiness for retrieval, and possibility of reimplantation.MethodsSyngeneic, allogeneic, and xenogeneic islets were transplanted into kidney capsules of Balb/C and C57BL/6J mice, and the blood glucose levels of the experimental animals were periodically monitored. Detailed procedures on mouse diabetic model and islet implantation are described.ResultsThe values of blood glucose measured under varied transplant circumstances are presented, covering syngeneic, allogeneic, and xenogeneic islet transplantations. The methodology is straightforward and has been proven to be practicable and reproducible.ConclusionsThe parallel observations in different transplant situations provide a valuable contribution to and useful information for diabetes-related studies.