Embryonic pancreas will be removed from human fetuses which are autopsied by the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of MIssesota following termination of pregnancy for therapeutic reasons. These tissue are made available 1-3 hours after delivery (and long after the heart has stopped beating). The pancreas will be placed in organ culture and grown under conditions similar to those used previously on rat embryonic pancreas. With the medium used we have found that the islets undergo selective growth and development whereas the acinar cells completely disappear. Using human embryonic pancreas we plan to evaluate the various factors influencing the rate of cell division, the selective differentiation of islet tissue (and the beta cells in particular), the biosynthesis of insulin, and the release of insulin into the culture medium. At a future date these studies might provide suitable donor material for beta cell transplantation to human diabetic subjects. They may ultimately make it possible to correct the metabolic abnormalities characteristic of diabetes and to possibly prevent or delay the development of the seious complications of diabetes, i.e. blindness and fatal kidney disease.