Autoimmune disease treatment with sertoli cells and in vitro co- culture of mammal cells with sertoli cells

摘要

The present invention describes a method of treating a disease that results from a deficiency of a biological factor which comprises administering to a mammal Sertoli cells and cells that produce the biological factor. In particular, the present invention describes a method of treating diabetes mellitus by transplanting pancreatic islet of Langerhans cells in conjunction with Sertoli cells to create an immunologically privileged site. A method of creating an immunologically privileged site and providing cell stimulatory factors in a mammal for transplants is further described by the present invention. The present invention further describes a method of creating systemic tolerance to foreign antigens. A method of enhancing the viability, maturation, proliferation of functional capacity of cells in tissue culture is further provided. A pharmaceutical composition comprising Sertoli cells and cells that produce a biological factor is also provided. In addition treatment of an autoimmune disease via the transplantation of Sertoli cells alone into a transplant site other than the testes is disclosed. The dosage amount of Sertoli cells administered ranges from 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.10 cells. Also an in vitro method of accelerating the maturation and increasing the proliferation and functional capacity of proliferating mammalian cells via the co-culturing of the mammalian cells with Sertoli cells is disclosed.