Advancing islet transplantation: From donor to engraftment

Abstract

Over the past few decades, tremendous efforts have been made to establish pancreatic islet transplantation as a standard therapy for the treatment of diabetes. Nevertheless, long-term efficacy has been limited to a marginal number of patients. Outcomes have been restricted, in part, by challenges associated with the transplant site, poor vascularization, and disruption of the native islet architecture during the isolation process. This chapter reviews possible solutions for the challenges encountered in the islet transplantation field, which include islet source limitation, suboptimal engraftment of islets, and lack of oxygen and blood supply for transplanted islets.