Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering

Volume 6, Issue 5 (May 2013)

ISSN Print: 1937-6871   ISSN Online: 1937-688X

Google-based Impact Factor: 0.66  Citations  h5-index & Ranking

Xenotransplantation of embryonic pig pancreas for treatment of diabetes mellitus in non-human primates

HTML  XML Download Download as PDF (Size: 528KB)  PP. 6-11  
DOI: 10.4236/jbise.2013.65A002    4,611 Downloads   6,871 Views  Citations
Author(s)

ABSTRACT

Transplantation therapy for diabetes in humans is limited by the low availability of human donor whole pancreas or islets. Outcomes are complicated by immunosuppressive drug toxicity. Xenotransplantation is a strategy to overcome supply problems. Implantation of tissue obtained early during embryogenesis is a way to reduce transplant immunogenicity. Pig insulin is biologically active in humans. In that regard the pig is an appropriate xenogeneic organ donor. Insulin-producing cells originating from embryonic pig pancreas obtained very early following pancreatic primordium formation [embryonic day 28 (E28)] engraft long-term in rhesus macaques. Endocrine cells originating from embryonic pig pancreas transplanted in host mesentery migrate to mesenteric lymph nodes, engraft, differentiate and improve glucose tolerance in rhesus macaques without the need for immune suppression. Transplantation of embryonic pig pancreas is a novel approach towards beta cell replacement therapy that could be applicable to humans.

Share and Cite:

Hammerman, M. (2013) Xenotransplantation of embryonic pig pancreas for treatment of diabetes mellitus in non-human primates. Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering, 6, 6-11. doi: 10.4236/jbise.2013.65A002.

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.