1. Pig islet xenotransplantation into non-human primate model.
- Author
-
Dufrane D and Gianello P
- Subjects
- Animals, Animals, Newborn, Cell Differentiation, Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental surgery, Graft Rejection immunology, Islets of Langerhans anatomy & histology, Islets of Langerhans cytology, Islets of Langerhans Transplantation immunology, Transplantation, Heterologous immunology, Islets of Langerhans Transplantation physiology, Primates, Swine, Transplantation, Heterologous physiology
- Abstract
Allogeneic islet transplantation faces difficulties because (1) organ shortage is recurrent; (2) several pancreas donors are often needed to treat one diabetic recipient; and (3) the intrahepatic site of islet implantation may not be the most appropriate site. Another source of insulin-producing cells, therefore, would be of major interest, and pigs represent a possible and serious source for obtaining such cells. Pig islet grafts may seem difficult because of the species barrier, but recent reports demonstrate that pig islets may function in primates for at least 6 months. Pig islet xenotransplantation, however, must still overcome several hurdles before becoming clinically applicable. The actual consensus is to produce more preclinical data in the pig-to-primate model as a necessary requirement to envisage any pig-to-human transplantation of islets; therefore, a summary of the actual acquired knowledge of pig islet transplantation in primates seemed useful and is summarized in this overview.
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF