Control of streptozotocin diabetes in chinese hamsters by cultured mouse islet cells without immunosuppression: A preliminary report

Abstract

Cultured pancreas islet cells inside 50K hollow fibers were implanted into adult Chinese hamsters made diabetic with streptozotocin, either as isografts (hamster → hamster) or xenografts (mouse → hamster) with return to normoglycemia for a mean of 46.8 days in the xenografted and 52.3 days in the isografted animals. After the reappearance of the diabetic state, selected animals from both groups received a repeat transplant using a larger number of cells. These second implants maintained normoglycemia for a mean of 142 days (xenograft) and 230 days (isograft). Histological analysis of recovered implants showed a smooth fibroblastic covering with no white cell infiltration of the fibers. © 1980.