title: Porcine islets for xenotransplantation.
abstract: Long-term function of isolated porcine islets was investigated in diabetic nude mice. Seven of eight mice that received transplants of porcine islets remained normoglycemic for 1 year with progressive weight gain. Circulating porcine C-peptide was detected throughout the study period. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests showed a rapid glucose clearance rate. Together with our recent finding that porcine islets contained within an immunoexclusion device achieved glycemic control in a totally pancreatectomized dog, these results clearly demonstrate that isolated porcine islets are capable of functioning for prolonged periods in xenogeneic hosts and are suitable for long-term use in an immunoexclusion device in a discordant host.
authors.affiliation: Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: O'Neil
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Mullon
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Monaco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013552:Swine; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous