Organ culture of mouse thyroid for 3 wk resulted in survival of allografts. The time in culture has been reduced to 4 days by increasing the oxygen pressure to 1300 mm and to 1 day by culture at 1700 mm and pretreatment of the donor with hydrocortisone. Of 25 BALB/c thyroid grafts cultured for 24 h at 1700 mm O2 and 37°C, 24 maintained function for 3 wk in C57B1/6 mouse recipients. Culture at room temperature (22–26°C) for 1 day was less effective in preventing rejection, and increasing the oxygen tension was not effective. These culture conditions have been applied to mouse pancreas, and survival of the organ was judged by morphologic and histochemical analysis. Lowering the temperature to 22°C resulted in survival for twice as long as at 37°C. This was true for partial O2 pressure of 600 mm in which beta cell granulation persisted for 4 days at 22° and only two days at 37°C. At a higher O2 pressure (1300 mm), beta granulation persisted for 2 days at 22°C and only 1 day at 37°C. Macrophages cultured in 600 mm O2 survived more than 4 days at 37°C and 30°C, but less than 2 days at 26°C. Since macrophages may play a role in rejection of allografts, culture at 22°C and alteration of O2 tension may select the desired cell types and enhance allograft survival.

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