An artificial endocrine pancreas--problems awaiting solution for long-term clinical applications of a glucose sensor.
The artificial endocrine pancreas is a feedback controlled system regulating insulin delivery on a minute-by-minute basis according to measured blood glucose levels. The bedside-type artificial endocrine pancreas has been proven to be useful not only as a therapeutic tool for diabetic patients but also as an elegant research tool for investigating the pathophysiology of the disease. Recently, a wearable-type, closed-loop system has been developed, of which the breakthrough was the establishment of a needle-type glucose sensor. However, for the long-term clinical use of needle-type glucose sensors, several obstacles remain to be solved, such as oxygen dependency, biocompatibility of the membrane, etc. The most promising method for the non-invasive determination of blood glucose is infrared spectroscopy. The trend in the development of a closed-loop glycemic control system which enables perfectly physiological glycemic regulation on a long-term basis is directed to an implantable device. Much research is being conducted to realize such devices.
Shichiri
M
M
Department of Metabolic Medicine, Kumamoto University Medical School, Japan.
Fukushima
H
H
Sakakida
M
M
Kajiwara
K
K
Hashiguchi
Y
Y
D000464:Alginates; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D006801:Humans; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D007332:Insulin Infusion Systems; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011107:Polylysine; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared
D000464:Alginates; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011107:Polylysine; D020723:Glucuronic Acid