Transplantation of pancreatic islets with immunoexclusion membranes.

The above studies strongly emphasize that transplantation of islets using immunoisolation with hollow fiber semipermeable immunoexclusion membranes is possible. Experiments in diabetic dogs have demonstrated that both the intravascular perfusion configured device and the intraperitoneal diffusion device could be applied clinically. Future experiments must be directed toward increasing device output, extending islet viability, and utilizing islet xenografts in both perfusion and diffusion devices in large animals prior to clinical trials.