Procurement of Parathyroid Glands from Living Donor Pigs and Ex Vivo Identification

Hypoparathyroidism, often resulting from surgical complications, severely disrupts calcium homeostasis, leading to disabling symptoms. Current treatments offer limited relief, highlighting the need for alternative therapies like parathyroid transplantation. This study introduces a simple method for living-donor parathyroid procurement from pigs, with potential applications in transplantation research, especially for the field of xenotransplantation. The procedure involves three key steps: porcine preparation with anesthesia, unilateral thymus retrieval, and ex vivo identification and extraction of the intrathymic parathyroid gland. The protocol utilizes Landrace pigs, with procedures ensuring ethical treatment and recovery post-operation. We successfully extracted parathyroid glands, confirming their viability and integrity through subsequent analysis. PTH levels in tissue supernatant exceeded 1,000 pg/mL, and immunofluorescence staining distinguished parathyroid glands from thymic tissue, validating the procedure's reliability. This protocol offers a rapid, non-lethal, and ethically sound method for parathyroid gland procurement from pigs, addressing anatomical differences between pigs and humans. It offers a sustainable approach with significant implications for hypoparathyroidism research and xenotransplantation.