Pancreas Islet Cell Transplantation: Present and Future

Kim, Song Cheol

Abstract

Pancreas islet cell transplantation has been regarded as an ideal method to treat the type I diabetes mellitus. However, it could not be the method of choice because of poor graft survival rate after transplantation. Recently, the outcome of pancreas islet cell transplantation has been improving, especially since the Edmonton group has succeeded in controlling the glucose metabolism in 7 consecutive type I diabetes mellitus patients. Returning to diabetic status in a substantial portion of transplanted patients, however, has revealed that lots of hurdles, such as primary non-function of the islet from non-specific inflammation, immunologic destruction of islets from either allogenic or autoimmune process, and shortage of donor source, remained to be solved in the near future, if pancreas islet cell transplantation is to be a practical clinical treatment modality for diabetic patients. We herein discuss on the current status and future of pancreas islet cell transplantation.