A new procedure for the immobilization of tumoral pancreatic islet cells to a two-dimensional microsupport is presented. Tumoral islet cells of the RINm5F line (0.7x10(6) cells/ml) were immobilized to two-dimensional microcarriers (16.6 cm2/ml). Within 24 h of culture, and as judged from the number of cells, their protein or insulin content, less than 10% of the cells escaped immobilization. The metabolic response of the immobilized cells to D-glucose was well preserved, the paired ratio between D-[U-14C] glucose oxidation and D-[5-3H]glucose utilization being even significantly higher in immobilized than free cells. The advantages of this novel approach in the perspective of islet cell transplantation are underlined.

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