Figure 2.

Schematic representation of different culture systems of pancreatic islets with MSCs. (A) Direct contact system with MSCs in monolayer. In this system, MSCs are plated to the culture dish covering the bottom of it; then, hours late, islets are plated and enter in direct contact with MSCs. (B) Direct contact system (MSCs and islets in suspension), where islets and MSCs are added together in the culture medium at the same time. Late, some MSCs can coat the islets. (C) Indirect contact system, where islets are separated from the MSC monolayer by a semi-permeable membrane in a transwell system, allowing the passage of soluble factors. (D) Mixed contact system, where MSCs were both in direct and indirect contact with islets. Of note, MSCs are in direct contact with islets in a transwell and also in indirect contact through adherence of MSCs to the bottom of the dish.