Effects of Variant Levels of Hypoxic Stress on Human Pancreatic Islets

Abstract

The objective was to measure the effects of varying time points of pellet-induced hypoxic¹ exposure on human pancreatic islets through viability and function as compared to normoxic conditions. Hypoxic conditions were induced by storing the islets in pelletized conditions by which the islets lacked proper access to both oxygen and media. The islets were cultured for varying time points and then allowed to recover. The effects were measured upon immediate normalization of conditions as well as 24 or 48 hours later. When the islets were subjected for 12 hours, they showed an inability to recover through lack of both viability and function. The islets exposed to hypoxic conditions for only 4 hours were unable to recover any function, though no significant detriment to their viability was detectable. This would suggest that even as little as four hours of hypoxic exposure causes a naturally irreversible molecular change that damages cell function, even if no detectable lack of viability is present.