The Islet Core aims to provide expertise and services to basic biomedical researchers using rodent models to study islet biology relevant to diabetes, its complications, and related endocrine and metabolic disorders. To accomplish this, the islet core provides consultative advice, training, and state-of-the-art equipment and services for comprehensive morphometric profiling of pancreatic islets in rodent models from development through adulthood. The Core presently offers the following services:

1. Pancreatic islet isolation from both mice and rats
2. Islet perifusion (with customizable protocols based on the investigator’s needs).
3. Histoimmunostaining-based morphometric assessments (β-cell and α-cell mass, proliferation and apoptosis quantifications).
4. Tissue procurement from embryonic stages (E10 rats, E11 mice) to adulthood
5. Islet culture and static secretion assays
6. Live insulin secretion imaging using the CPepSfGFP mouse line